The Full Camping Experience
by Rointheta
Summary: After learning that Rose has never gone camping, the Doctor surprises her with a trip to a planet perfect for just that.
1. Surprise

This is a prompt!fic for Spookyknight, who wanted shagging in a tent. I couldn't resist turning it into a slightly longer story, so there will be a few chapters, but not with my usual word count.  
**Beta**: resile

* * *

**1. SURPRISE**

* * *

A group of people in their late teens or early twenties hiked through the woods, eyes crinkled from laughing at one another as well as squinting at the sunlight. Now and then someone picked a few berries, another pointed at the wildlife, and once they reached their destination–a campsite by a still, round lake–the women had barely broken a sweat, and the men had a flattering damp triangle on their chests. The men pitched the tents; the women stood by their side, giggling and sometimes handing them things. Once they were done, all but one–the shy girl who'd declined a beer earlier as the group drove to the woods in a van–stripped and skinny dipped, shrieking with laughter as they splashed water at and dunked one another.

Later, after drying off in the last light of the day, two of the men left with fishing rods to try their luck in a nearby brook. Someone started a fire and a few of the women began to mix whatever ungodly concoct they could make out of the assortment of alcohol bottles–probably stolen from their parents' liquor cabinets–and fizzy drinks they had brought. When the blokes returned with the catch of the day, they grilled fish, hot dogs, and s'mores, and drank out of red and blue plastic cups. The artsy bloke found a guitar and they all sang together. One of the girls pulled up a bag of weed from her pocket, grinning at the others; the shy girl shook her head, but the others whooped. The only established couple began snogging, earning themselves some catcalls and sneaking into one of the tents for privacy.

"Is it like that?" Rose nodded at the projector screen in front of her and the Doctor.

The Doctor turned to her, brow furrowed. "You're asking _me_ about snogging?! Granted, I've been snogged several times in my life, but I assumed you've been as well."

She laughed at him. "Oh, you have, huh?"

"Well…" He sniffed, adjusting his tie.

"I meant _camping_. Always seems so perfect in films. You know, the lovely hike, seeing a deer or two. No aching feet or sweaty bodies. S'mores and ghost stories in front of the fire. Skinny dipping under a clear starlit sky…" She tilted her head to the side, grinning at the screen as the couple started to become rather intimate with one another. "Shagging in a tent. You know, the full camping experience."

"...getting murdered in a tent," the Doctor said, as a murderer chopped his way through the fabric and planted an axe in the back of the shagging man. "Could do without that, though."

"You'd regenerate! Your poor lady friend, however–"

"Are you telling me you've never gone camping?"

"Never. And it's like, it can't be like that, can it? I'd imagine you'd be lying there, on the cold, hard ground and then it starts raining, right, and you realise your tent is leaky! And you're sore and you have blisters all over your feet after all that hiking. Oh, and I bet there would be ants and mosquitos. And maybe the occasional bear–"

He blinked at her, lips curved up. "The occasional bear?"

"Well, yeah! Coming to your campsite and eating all your food and you end up sitting in a tree all night, or something. I thought bears did that. Don't bears do that?"

"Weeell, sure. Bears have a very strong sense of smell–two thousand one hundred times better than a human's, actually–and have been known to find their way into a cool box or two."

"See! Anyway, in films it's always so cosy and perfect."

"...up until you get murdered while shagging in the tent."

"Totally saw that coming, though. She did nudity both in the skinny dipping scene, and now with shagging. You know what that means."

"Ah. Flaunt your body, get brutally hacked to pieces by a mad man?"

"Them's the rules," she sing-songed. "There's only one woman who's not shown her tits yet, so she'll be the sole survivor."

"Or!" He grinned, pointing his finger in the air. "She's the murderer!"

"Yeah, that would be a nice twist. Five quid you're wrong, though. I'm thinking it's the forest ranger bloke."

"Really? But he's seems so nice!"

She waggles her eyebrows at him. "Exactly."

"All right, Rose Tyler. You're on!"

She licked her lips and leaned over the empty seat between them in the sofa, taking a peek into the bowl in his lap. "Got any popcorn left?"

He stared sheepishly at her, offering her an appeasing smile.

"You've eaten all of it already? But there are, like, eight people left to be murdered!"

His smile grew wider. "I'll go make more?"

She beamed at him. "Okay!"

He let the film roll as he left and she snuggled up in her blanket, watching another couple be dismembered, blood splattering all over, a few drops hitting the lens. Barely five minutes later, she heard soft footsteps approaching and stifled a giggle, knowing that the Doctor would try to scare her. Cool fingers wrapped loosely around her neck and a booming, dark 'boo' hit her ear. She didn't as much as flinch. He made a disappointed sound and sat down beside her in the sofa, the length of his thigh pressing into hers and his shoulder bumping against her. She drew in a sharp breath and held it for a moment, not knowing how to react. They've never sat this closely when watching films–or _ever_, to be honest. At least not when it hasn't been necessary. She exhaled and licked her lips, reaching out for her fizzy drink to wet her dry mouth.

"Heard me, then?"

She sniffed and cocked her head. "Nah. Got nerves of steel."

"Quite." Grinning, he placed the bowl right where their legs met, half of it resting on hers and half of it resting on his. "Popcorn?"

She grabbed a handful. "Cheers."

"What did I miss?"

"Oh, you know. A couple of severed limbs. A few pints of blood. A random shot of a deer cocking its ear as someone screamed. Another couple sneaking off for a shag."

Biting her lip, she glanced at him through the corner of her eye, but his were directed at the screen. He nodded and stuffed his mouth full of popcorn, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the little human next to him had her stomach full of butterflies.

Rose didn't pay attention to the rest of the film. All she focused on was feeling the Doctor close to her for much longer than what was usual for them, how their hands sometimes brushed against one another as they dove for more popcorn, and the fact that he didn't flinch and run away when she yawned and dared to rest her head on his shoulder. Once the film was over she, with a great deal of reluctance, sat up straight and shifted a bit in her seat, unsure of what to do next. She turned towards him, nearly going cross-eyed as she looked at his face, so very close to hers. Her fingers found the fringe of the blanket and began picking at it in an effort to release some of her nervous energy.

"So… Another one?"

He smiled. "You almost fell asleep on my shoulder. You're tired."

"Uhm. Nah, I'm all right."

"Yeah? All right. Oh, suppose I owe you five quid, then. Can I pay up later?"

She crinkled her nose. "What for?"

"Rose. It _was_ the forest ranger. Did you fall asleep?"

"Oh. No, I…" A blush crept up her cheeks. "Uhm, maybe?"

"You go to bed," he said softly. He nodded at her bunched up blanket, their glasses and empty soda cans, and the bowl of popcorn. "I'll take care of this."

She hoped her smile didn't look as forced as it felt. "Yeah, thanks. Uhm… See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yep. Nuh-night."

Her thumb found its way into her mouth and she bit her nail as she debated with herself whether she should muster up the courage to hug him or not. It would be new for them, a casual good night embrace for no other reason than wanting it, and she wasn't sure what reaction it would generate. On the one hand, he'd _chosen_ to share popcorn with her and sit really close, instead of pouring the snack into two bowls and taking his usual seat in the very spacious sofa. On the other hand, he was usually the one initiating physical contact, especially if it meant pushing boundaries...

He solved her problem by being his gormless self, standing up and tidying up after them–and probably thinking he was being nice, to boot.

Kicking herself inwardly, she got up off the sofa and gave him a pathetic little wave. "Night, Doctor."

She sighed and walked out of the room, rolling her eyes at herself and at him. It was all very silly, and she knew it, but she couldn't seem to find the courage needed to ask him what they were to each other or, better still, just snog him already. She let out another sigh, deep and loud this time. Maybe one day... 

* * *

"Rose? Roooooose? Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose."

She grumbled something and snuggled deeper into the soft nest of covers and pillows. Her bed wobbled as the Doctor threw himself on top of it, bouncing around on her mattress.

She peeked out from under the covers and, noticing him wearing his chucks, shot him a glare. "Down! Bad puppy!"

He bounced some more. "Rose. Roooooooooose. Wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake up." He stopped and gave her a grin that could only be described as wicked. "Wake up or I _will_ be a bad puppy and lick you in the face."

Although she was sure it wasn't his intention, she couldn't help but get a swooping feeling in her stomach at his words, and her cheeks heated up.

"Well, rather that than you weeing on my floor."

The weight on the mattress shifted and she felt him move closer, his warm breath hitting her cheek. His fingers brushed some of her hair to the side; her heart sped up its beating. Was he really going to…?

"Please wake up," he whispered into her ear.

He pulled back, and disappointment washed through her.

She frowned and burrowed back into her cocoon. "Sleeping."

"That, Rose Tyler, is a lie. You're talking. Not sleeping. _Please_ wake up. It's been morning for a very long time, and I have a surprise!"

She swallowed and peered out from under the covers, feigning disinterest. "Surprise? I don't care for surprises–"

He harrumphed. "Again with the lies!"

She pressed her lips together not to smile at him, studying her nails instead. "Oh, all right. What kind of surprise?"

"The good kind! Pleeeeease."

She propped herself up on her elbows, looking at him as though he was a particularly annoying Time Lord this morning. "See I'm up. Sort of."

"I'm amazed you've managed to keep up that grumpy facade, Rose. This must be some sort of record. I know you can rival the best of them when it comes to bad morning temper, but I usually have you smiling by now." He tapped his chin, looking up with knitted brow. "Hm… Maybe I should tickle you. Would that work? Yes, yes I think it would!" Waggling his eyebrows, he held up his hands and wiggled his fingers at her. "Here I come!"

She let out something between a shriek and a giggle, moving away from him. "Noooo! Okay, okay. You win!"

"Huh. I haven't even touched you yet." He flashed her a smug grin. "Good to know…"

"Well, then." She tucked a loose strand of her fringe behind her ear. "What's the surprise?"

"Guess!"

She inhaled and puffed up her cheeks, letting out the breath in a slow stream. "By the sound of it, we've landed somewhere. The vortex sounds more...buzzing."

He gave her a few, quick nods, smiling in a way that made her feel as though he was really proud of her for figuring out something as simple as that. She smiled back and gave him a good-natured eyeroll.

"Hm… Do I need to dress up?"

"No, not dress up, but... Shorts. Shorts would be good."

She laughed. "You want me to wear _shorts_, Doctor?"

He cleared his throat, tugging a bit on his ear. "It's not about what I _want_. You can wear a ball gown, a monocle, or a banana skirt for all I care…. Oooh, a banana skirt! Like Josephine Baker. Yes?"

She scrunched up her face and gave him a shrug, head tilted to the side.

"The Black Pearl? Singer, dancer, actress, civil rights activist, _spy_..." He drew out the last word, looking at her over the rim of his glasses. "No? Oh, well. A banana skirt… That would be convenient, that. Would always have a banana available for your daily banana intake! Not that I don't already, mind you. Always carry one in my trouser pocket!" He patted said pocket. "But a banana skirt wouldn't be very practical, I suppose. Unlike shorts! Shorts will be very practical where we're going." He beamed.

She nodded at his suit trouser covered legs. "You're not wearing shorts."

"Superior physiology. I'm not as sensitive to heat." He leaned over the bed and picked up something from the floor. "And you should wear these!" He held up a pair of sturdy shoes, dangling from his fingers by the laces. "I got them for you!"

"Are those...hiking boots?"

"Yep!"

She bit her lip, face splitting into a smile. "Doctor, are we going camping?"

"Yep!"

Shrugging off the last of the lingering sleepiness, Rose sat up in bed and beamed at him. "Really? What do I need to bring?"

"Oh, I've already packed everything we need. Just–"

"You have?"

"Of course! I don't lie around sleeping for a bazillion hours per night–and that is not an exaggeration. You sleep an inordinate amount. Even for a human." He gave her a firm look. "C'mon, now, Rose. Just put on some shorts and these boots, and we're good to go."

"What?" She gasped, bringing her hand to her chest, pretending to be shocked. "That and nothing else? You want me to hike through the woods topless?"

His eyes grew so round she could see plenty of the white all around his irises, and his ears were tinted pink.

"What?! No! No, no, no. You should wear…" He gestured around his chest with swift, flustered movements, but stopped and narrowed his eyes at her as soon as he saw her smirk. "Ah. You tease." He shook his head. "Now, go on. Get ready. I'll wait for you in the console room. And then–then, Rose Tyler–you're getting the full camping experience."


	2. Wildflower Peninsula

**beta**: resile

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Backpack hoisted up, hiking boots and shorts on, nose covered in sunscreen, Rose clapped her hands together and smiled at the Doctor. "Okay! Let's go camping!"

"Rose," the Doctor said, catching her eye, "before you bounce out of here, you should know that we've landed on a narrow ledge. So mind your step."

"All right…" She walked down the ramp and opened the door, gasping at the view spread out before her. "Doctor, it's _beautiful_."

"Yep!" He stood behind her–close enough for her to feel his coat brush against her bare legs–and pointed over her shoulder at the vast, violet ocean crashing in foamy waves against the rocky beach far down below. "That's the Samulian Sea. It surrounds us on three sides." He grabbed her shoulders and peered over her right one, face so close to hers her breath nearly hitched. "I'd rather you not fall in it."

She shivered. "Yeah. Me neither. So, mind my step. Got it."

She did a salute and stepped out on the gray, narrow ledge, looking around. To her right and in front of her, there were only a few decimeters' distance between her and the edge, but to her left the ledge lead upwards. Worrying her lip, she eyed the trail, not broad enough to stroll with carefree ease, but not so slim she needed to shimmy. She sucked in a breath and began to walk, one hand running along the cliff face, rough stone sliding underneath her palm.

Although she had many questions about this place, she kept silent as she moved, aware of the fact that the slightest misstep could make her lose her footing and fall into the dark depths. Now and then, she cast glances to her left, taking in the jagged rocks piercing the ocean surface, shuddering at the thought of feeling her body slam into those sharp edges.

A few minutes later, she reached the plateau and breathed out a sigh of relief. Already smiling, she turned around and watched the Doctor close the distance between them, his perfect sense of balance letting him walk with apparent nonchalance. Git.

She put her hands on her hips, one eyebrow quirked up. "Not that I don't trust your piloting skills, Doctor, but did you happen to miss this very nice and _safe_ looking plateau?" To emphasise her point, she drew a broad gesture with one arm in the air, indicating the ample space provided by the flat area.

He huffed and gave her a good-natured glare. "I'll have you know that I landed exactly where I intended. This whole planet is a nature reserve with restricted landing zones. Landing zones with barriers not even the TARDIS can penetrate. Right now, you, Rose Tyler, are standing on the Wildflower Peninsula, and–"

"Let me guess," she said, holding up her hand and grinning. "We're not allowed to be here?"

"Weeeell," he said, scrunching up his face and tilting his head to the side. "Not really, no. Or, well, spacecrafts, aircrafts–any type of vehicle, really–are prohibited, yes. People are allowed, but there's no way to get here. So there never are any people. I, uhm, well, I didn't want our good fun to be interrupted by us being murdered in a tent by a deranged park ranger."

She laughed. "Yeah, can't have that, can we?"

"Nope! Anyway, I landed us on the only little spot of this half-island that overlaps the landing zone." He smiled and waggled his eyebrows, keeping at it a few seconds too long.

"Are you waiting for me to say that you're impressive?"

"Ehm… Wasn't I, though? It was a very narrow ledge, Rose."

"Yeah." She smiled, tongue caught between her teeth. "Very impressive."

Walking side by side across the plateau, Rose took in their surroundings. At first she couldn't see much other than sky, clouds and water, but soon they reached a slope leading down to a lime green plain spotted with low trees and watering holes, cornered by a mass of dark trees.

"Is that where we're going? That forest there."

"Yep. It'll take us most of the day, but if we walk through that jungle–"

"Jungle?"

"Weeeell, of sorts," he said, heading down the slope with her in tow. "Is that all right?"

"Yeah, 'course. Just thought we were camping in the woods. With the, uhm, ants, and mosquitos, and bears, oh my?" She grinned, eyebrows raised.

"Nope! Or, weeeell, that's not entirely true. But the mosquito-like creatures aren't interested in human blood, the ants shy away from any creatures larger than a small sheep, and there are no predators on this peninsula. Chose this place for a reason, and that was to give you the perfect experience, Rose Tyler. There is not one dangerous thing here."

"Really?" She narrowed her eyes, moving a bit closer and lowering her voice as she said, "You sure about that? Word on the street is that The Oncoming Storm's approaching."

"Yeah?" He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Well, suppose he's here to tame The Bad Wolf."

She snorted. "Yeah, good luck, Doctor. You'll need it."

They stopped at a trail leading in between vine covered trees and bushes with long, broad leaves, rustling in the mild breeze. Rose leaned in a little bit closer, biting her lips as she searched the murky jungle for any signs of life. Although she could hear birds singing, crickets chirping, and other familiar animal sounds, she saw nothing but sunlight shining through the leafage, casting spotlights at random intervals, showing off the flora.

"So… We're heading in there, then?"

"Yep!"

"And there's no snakes or nothing? No spiders or, dunno, hostile monkeys or something?"

He chuckled for a bit and she pushed him, mock-pouting at him.

"Oh, there are all sorts of creatures here, Rose, but none is dangerous or poisonous. Nothing here can harm you. I made my choice very carefully!"

She pursed her lips. "Mhm. That's how it always sounds. Just a nice little trip, nothing dangerous, just me and you–and then my face gets sucked off."

He shuffled a bit from side to side, wearing a rather sheepish expression.

"Oh, Doctor." She laughed. "If I minded a little trouble, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

His mouth curled up a bit. "Suppose not."

"Shouldn't we have one of those…" She made swooping chopping gestures in the air, fingers curled around imaginary handles, mouth forming swishing sound effects. "Uhm, machetes?"

"Ah, yes!" He moved the front panel of his coat aside, whistling as he revealed a long blade hanging from his hip.

Chuckling at him, Rose reached out and grabbed the handle. She pulled the machete out of the sheath and held it up in front of her, eyeing the dark metal. "Never thought you'd be bringing a weapon."

"It's not a weapon. It's a tool. And we'll need it."

"To chop our way through the jungle?" She shot him a toothy grin.

"Well, sure. None of the trails are man-made, and we'll rely on my superior sense of direction to reach the campsite, so it will probably be needed."

"Can I do it? Can I go first? I wanna chop!"

He made an amused sound in the back of his throat and nodded into the jungle. "Sure, Rose Tyler. That way."

"That way?" she asked, pointing with the machete.

He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, steering her arm a few centimeters to the right. "That way."

She nodded and headed into the jungle, keeping the chopping tool in a firm grip. 

* * *

...

* * *

Rose had never been out in nature much–and never in a jungle–but to her eyes, it didn't look too different from what she'd seen in nature shows on telly. The foliage was in an assortment of greens, ranging from birch leaf to deep emerald; the flowers were mostly in red and yellow hues, with the odd appearance of blue or purple; the sounds were close enough to those she'd come to know very well after her mum went through a new age phase and had relaxation tapes of rainforest recordings running on repeat; and the few animals Rose and the Doctor came across–the ones lingering long enough to be observed, that was–seemed very similar to the Earth variety.

She spotted a couple of striped cat creatures, sprawled out on thick branches, swinging their tails back and forth; several birds, most with vibrant plumes, seated in the trees, singing and squawking; a family of mammals, looking like a crossbreed between a koala and a squirrel, claws burrowed into the thin bark of a slender tree, chattering amongst themselves; something rather large, pink and furry, that scurried away so quickly all she could see was its long bushy tail waving behind it; two blue-footed, green amphibians, larger than her hands, perched on a mossy rock, ribbiting and catching flies with their long, pink tongues; and then, slithering over the trail they'd been following for the last thirty minutes or so, a thick, yellow reptile…_thing_.

She jumped, staggering backwards until she bumped into the Doctor, connecting their bodies from her bum up to her shoulders. His hands found her waist, steadying her with a firm grip, a few of his fingers touching her bare skin where her vest had ridden up. A jolt hit her in the pit of her stomach, and her already racing pulse quickened further still. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, just a little bit, nose so close to his neck she could breathe him in.

"You okay?" he asked, giving her waist a squeeze. She nodded and then, as he released her and stepped back, she let out a breath she wasn't aware of holding, sagging a little. His hands instantly returned. "You sure?"

"Yeah." She bit her lip and brushed her fringe out of her face, moving away from him. "Caught me by surprise."

"It's not dangerous. It only eat fruits."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just...instinct, I suppose."

"Would you like a break? We've been walking for almost three hours."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yep. Let's see if we can find a good place for a rest."

A few minutes later they came across a fallen tree, thick enough to provide them with a comfortable place to sit. She shrugged off her backpack, put the machete on the ground, and slumped down on the trunk, stretching out her legs before her and watching him. Crouching down, he pinched a bit of the dark burgundy soil between his fingers, rubbed the material and put it on his tongue. He smacked it a few times and stood up, murmuring something to himself.

"We need to find stones, firewood, and a few roots and herbs for the soppabrew."

"Soppabrew?"

"Yep! Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it. You can make sure we have stones and then place them right about here," he said, drawing a circle in the dirt with the tip of the machete and then sliding the blade back into the sheath. "Meet back here in a few minutes."

She nodded at him, smiling. "Are you gonna bring your backpack?"

"Huh? Oh." He grinned. "Forgot I was wearing it."

"Really? Don't think I've ever seen you wear a backpack before. Did something happen to your amazing pockets?"

"Nope! But this is supposed to be a genuine experience–"

"Yeah? Is that why you're in your coat, suit, and chucks?"

"Weeell, I didn't bring my sonic."

Rose jaw dropped. "What?"

"I didn't bring my sonic."

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, then opened them, furrowing her brow. "Huh?"

He grinned and stuck his thumbs underneath the shoulder straps of his backpack, running them up and down as he shifted his weight back and forth. "Yep. Sonic-free adventure! I've not even packed a lot of supplies. We're hunter-gatherers for the weekend. Weeell, not hunters per se. It's verboten. Fishing's allowed, though. We can do that, if you want."

"Wow. You're really serious about this whole thing."

"Well, yeah." He shrugged, smiling. "You wanted the full camping experience, Rose Tyler. No cheating." He removed his backpack and gestured over his shoulder. "I'm heading that way. See you soon."

When she returned, arms and pockets full of oval stones, large as her palm, the Doctor was already on the ground building the fire, hands and knees dirty. She noticed two skewers full of berries and mushrooms resting against the firewood, and by his side stood a metal pot and a matching set of mugs.

"I can't have been gone long, and you already found all of that?" she said, kneeling beside him and placing the stones in a circle around the wood.

"I know where to look," he said, working a fire striker.

"What's in the pot? Is it the-the soppabrew?"

"Will be, anyway." He smiled and leaned back on his haunches. "A few roots, berries, a twig or two–those will be soft, by the way–a pinch of herb, and so on. Old Smultronian recipe. That's the name of this place, this planet. Smultron. Means 'dark red' in their language. Like the soil."

"Smultron," she said, pursing her lips as she tried to mimic his pronunciation of the u. "You said, nature reserve, yeah? Are there no people here? Smultronians?"

"On the planet, yes. But not here. There used to be, millennia ago. But then one day, there was a big quake," he said, moving the pot to the edge of the fire and holding the skewers over the flames. "It split the old peninsula on two and created this one and the neighbouring one. Only, that one didn't become isolated from the rest of the planet, as this one did. The people knew they wouldn't be able to stay for too long. Even if they had enough land to last them, with game, fruit, vegetables and such, there would soon be a problem with inbreeding. So, they left. Found a way down the mountain, a way eroded long since. Now, all that's left is a slick cliff face," he said, staring into open space and rubbing his jaw. "And this little paradise is left untouched." He cocked his head and breathed in deeply. "Ah, smell that?"

She did the same. A rich scent, earthy and somewhat flowery, wafted from the fire, reminding her that they had yet to eat. "Yeah. Smells delicious."

"Soppabrew's done. Reckon the mushrooms need a few moments more."

"Have you ever gone camping before? Like this?" she asked as he poured the brew into their cups.

"Not quite like this." He sat down beside her again and handed her one of the cups. "But I've had to survive in the wilderness before–and I'll have you know that I've not always been a big fan of the sonic."

"Really?"

"Yep. This is all I need," he said, tapping his forehead, a very pleased smile gracing his lips.

Blowing at the brew, she peered at him over the rim of the cup. "Not _all_ you need, is it?"

His smile faded, but his eyes remained warm, sparkling as he met hers. "'Course not. Need a hand to hold, as well," he said, holding out his.

She grabbed it and gave it a squeeze, biting her lip and grinning at him. "That's nice, Doctor. But I meant those," she said, nodding at the backpacks.

"Oh." He let out a breathy chuckle.

"Speaking of, though–and I can't believe I didn't ask this sooner–how long are we staying and what, exactly, did you pack?"

"A few days. Depends on you, really. But you'll have everything you need."

"Oh, really." She took her first sip of soppabrew, smiling and humming with appreciation. "Toothbrush?"

"Nope. There's a tree you can use. Break off a twig and clean your teeth with it. I'll show you later. Can't let any foreign chemicals into their water stream. Would upset their whole ecosystem."

"Okay… How about knickers? I'm gonna need clean knickers."

"Of course!

"Really. You packed my knickers."

"Yep. I didn't want to spend time in your room whilst you were sleeping, reckoned it would be a bit…" He curled his lips, frowning. "Well, inappropriate of me sneaking around in there and touching your underthings. But there were six pairs hanging on the clothes line in the laundry room. The, ehm, the hipsters, I think they're called? They seemed more comfortable than the ones that are mostly strings pieced together. Why do you wear those anyway? What's the point?"

"They still cover the important bits, all right?"

He snorted. "I find it hard, picturing that."

She giggled, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"What?"

"Think about what you just said."

He furrowed his brow, eyes drifting to the side as he thought. "What? It _is_ hard picturing those flimsy things covering all the bits in need of coverage!"

Her giggles turned into laughter and she leaned over, supporting herself against the trunk with her free hand.

"What? Rose, what– Oh." He chuckled and pulled a bit at his collar. "Weeell, that's not quite… Anywaaay, knickers, socks, jimjams, bikini–"

"Bikini? Which one? I've not washed one recently."

"Oh, no, I grabbed the one you found in the wardrobe room. The one you used before you brought your things on board."

"The yellow one, with the side ties?"

"Yep, that's the one." He took a mouthful of brew and swallowed, smiling. "You liked that one, didn't you?"

She blinked at him, remembering how she had chosen it because it was very revealing and she fancied the Doctor; however, as she'd glided out into the pool room, feeling sexy and confident, ready to be checked out, he'd barely given her a second glance. He'd yapped about Dickens and how you really could meet some of your heroes. She'd stopped listening and floated on her back, letting the water, instead of his words, fill her ears, staring up at the simulated view of the Milky Way displayed on the ceiling. She'd felt young, then. Young, stupid, and not daring to hope. Well, not until they, months later, danced in a bunker and then in the console room, but nothing came of that either, and now… It must've been over a year since, maybe even two, she can't quite keep track, and still he doesn't seem to–

"Rose?" he said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, s'all right. Thanks. Uhm, that bikini's great."

He got the skewers, handed her one and began to eat his right away. "Feel bad for you humans. Food straight from the fire is brilliant. The flavours!" he said, mouth full of food, lips glistening from berry juices.

"Yeah… So, there's a lake where we're going, then?"

"Of course! A big, round lake where we can swim. Reckon we'll go for a dip as soon as we've pitched the tent. You look sweaty already."

"Oh, thanks. You really know how to make a girl feel pretty."

He furrowed his brow. "I never said it was unattractive. And who do you need to feel pretty for? Don't think the jungle animals will care about that, Rose."

Her hand found her earlobe, fingers ready to twirl a hoop earring she'd decided not to wear this morning. She sighed and took a bite of grilled mushroom instead, chewing the soft, chanterelle tasting cap.

"S'good. I like it. This and the soppabrew."

"Yep. One of the many reasons why I chose this place. Most things taste pretty good to a human palate."

"What are the other reasons?"

"Let's see…" He finished the last of his food and licked his fingers clean before counting along on them. "No axe murderers–or murderers of any kind, really–no predators, nothing poisonous, no people, a lake, similar climate to Earth, and, well, another reason. But that's a surprise."

"Another surprise?"

"Weeeell, there's something very beautiful I want to show you. The reason why I needed to find his secluded peninsula to stay away from all the tourists. But I want to show you, not tell you."

She mock-gasped. "You? Not wanting to use that gob of yours? Really?"

"Words can't do it justice. Well. Maybe in my language, but you wouldn't understand it anyway. So," he said and slapped his knees before standing up, "ready to go?"


	3. Clueless

**beta**: resile

* * *

Once the tent was pitched, the fire made, and the stew prepared and hung over the flames, the Doctor and Rose decided to take a swim. Neither of them wanted to sit down and eat without washing the dirt and grime from the hike off their bodies. Since nature was calling and Rose needed to move away from the campsite for some privacy either way, she took her swimwear with her to change as well, rather than twist and turn in the already warm–and absolutely-not-bigger-on-the-inside–21st century tent.

After relieving herself behind a few bushes, she noticed a bower a few paces away. Vines had climbed up the trunks of a handful of trees and woven their branches together, filling the empty spaces between them with green leaves and white flowers. Not only would it hide her from view, but would also provide her with a perfect place to hang her bikini and towel to dry after the swim. Breathing in the fresh scent spread by the flowers with an appreciative smile, she decided to use nature-made arch as a changing room during their stay.

Peeling off her damp clothes and feeling the gentle breeze hit her sweaty, naked body, Rose hummed with contentment. She burrowed her toes into the cool red soil, enjoying the moment before putting on the yellow bikini. Running her fingers along the hems, she made sure everything sat where it should and that nothing was peeking out. She snorted, thinking that the Doctor probably wouldn't notice even if something did. If he didn't understand a simple penis joke, then…

She shook her head and scooped up her bundle of clothes and hiking boots, skipping out to the tent and dropping them at her backpack. The Doctor stood over by the fire, stirring the stew they made of the mushrooms, roots, berries, nuts, and herbs they'd gathered during the last stretch of their hike. He'd pointed them out and told her their names and uses, their Earth equivalents, and which he thought would be her favourites, priding himself in knowing what made her mouth water.

Her eyes drifted over his swim trunk clad form, all lean muscles and long limbs, lingering for the briefest second on his round bum before returning to his face. He looked up from what he was doing, eyebrows raised, a friendly smile on his face, eyes meeting hers instead of wandering. He waved at her, fingers wiggling. Oh, he knew nothing.

He grabbed two large, fluffy towels. "Ready?"

"Yeah. S'gonna be so good. I'm all sweaty and just...eugh."

"C'mon! Last one in's a rotten egg!" He darted down the beach, dropped the towels on the sand, and threw himself into the translucent, indigo lake with a loud _whoop_.

Grinning, she ran after him, but stopped as soon as the water washed over her feet. "Oh! It's warm!"

She was used to running, climbing, and crawling, but hiking for hours, and carrying a heavy backpack to boot, had left her sore. The warm water eased the throbbing in her feet and, longing for that feeling all over, she waded further out and dove forward, sliding under the surface. A pleasant sensation spread in her body as the water engulfed her, easing the ache in her tired muscles.

She opened her eyes and looked around. The lake went deep rather quickly, the pebbled bottom covered by dark green algae, golden fish darting away from the sudden intrusion of two humanoids. Honing in on the pale shape floating on his back a short distance away, Rose took a few strokes in his direction until she could wrap her hands around one of his ankles. She tugged him beneath the surface and kicked herself upward for some oxygen before she had time to see his reaction.

Two breaths later, she felt a head between her legs and a pair of shoulders under her thighs–disappointingly not in the good way–and found herself hurled up in the air, giggling as she soared, and landing with a splash a few meters away. Treading water, she tossed her wet hair back and rubbed at her eyes to clear her vision. The Doctor was already right in front of her, grinning, sparkling eyes connected with hers.

"Hello."

Her heart beat a little faster. "Hello."

His fringe hung down over his forehead; her hand shot out, unbidden, and brushed it aside. A jolt hit her deep in her belly when she realised what she was doing and she snatched her hand back, hiding her insecurity behind a smile.

"S'lovely, this. Is it like a hot spring?"

"Yep. Keeps roughly the same temperature all year around, day and night–and the nights here are cold."

"We should take a dip in the middle of the night, then. Be like a reversed sauna thing."

He chuckled. "Yeah, we can do that."

They swam for a while, splashing water at one another now and then, and doing somersaults and handstands. The Doctor ran up and moved the pot to the edge of the fire to simmer before running back and finding a cliff from where he could cannonball into the lake. She shrieked and laughed as the wave hit her; he grinned at her, got out of the lake and did it again.

"You're not gonna?" he asked once he emerged, combing his hair back with his fingers.

"Nah. I'm too tired today. I'm just gonna enjoy the warm water."

"Hm, yes." His eyes flitted over her, concerned crinkle formed between his brows . "It was a long walk. Does anything hurt?"

"Uhm, just a bit stiff in the shoulders, tired legs and feet. No blisters, though."

He beamed. "I know! 67th century, chafe-proof boots!"

"Well done, Doctor," she said, resisting the urge to pat him on the head.

"Would you like me to massage your shoulders?"

"What?"

He shrugged. "Or feet."

"Uhm…" She swallowed. "Is that something you usually offer to your companions, then?"

He threw himself backwards, floating with his arms spread out, looking up at the clear sky. "Not often, no, but it's happened on occasion. When needed."

"Oh, uhm, thanks, but... The water helps, though. And I just need a good night's sleep. And food! You reckon the food's ready soon?"

"Yeah. We should probably get up anyway. The sun will set in an hour or so. Will get rather chilly pretty quickly. Well, for you anyway." He winked.

She dove under the surface and swam towards the beach. Once she reached the shallow end, she stood up and walked, grabbing her hair and squeezing excess water out of it. Wiggling her hips the slightest bit more than necessary, she glanced at the Doctor over her shoulder to see if he was checking her out. She knew Mickey would have–shamelessly, at that–but the Time Lord kept his eyes directed forward. Rose sighed and rolled hers, grabbed her towel and headed towards the bower, picking up a pair of jimjams on the way.

* * *

After supper, the Doctor and Rose went back into the jungle, using the last of the daylight to find a _frisktree_. As they walked, he told her about the trees antimicrobial properties, the eucalyptus-like taste, and how she should be careful not to hurt her gums, giving her a thorough demonstration on his mouth with one finger. They found the tree, broke off their twigs, and returned to the campsite, sitting down by the fire, chewing and scrubbing. Admittedly, she'd been a little sceptic, but now, as she ran her tongue over her teeth, she found them sleek and clean, and her breath minty and fresh.

Feeling the evening chill creep up on her, Rose fetched one of her hoodies and then curled up by the fire. Eyes set on the flames, she asked the Doctor to share a few stories from his travels with Sarah Jane. He told Rose about Sontarans, someone he called 'the Brigadier' and, as he recounted how Sarah Jane had broken into the Ministry of Defense, he scooted closer to Rose and placed her feet in his lap. Without pausing his narration, he began to knead and stroke, fingers knowing exactly where she needed them the most. She hummed and closed her eyes, listening to his soft voice over the crackling of the fire, her limbs growing heavy and relaxed.

* * *

Rose started awake from the discomfort of having her big toe pinched. She sat up and frowned at the grinning Doctor. Holding her ankle in a firm grip, he ran the fingers of his other hand down her sole, featherlight, and then tickled her between her toes. She giggled, kicking and squirming to get out of his hold, but failing.

He shot her a triumphant grin. "What do you say, Rose Tyler? Shall we take this into the tent?"

She blinked her eyes shut and shook her head, opening them again and staring at him. "Huh?"

"You fell asleep. It gets cold out here. You should get into your sleeping bag instead. You know, inside the tent…?"

"Oh. Yeah. Right." She chuckled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Yeah, I'm just gonna...hit the loo."

When she came back, he'd rolled out the sleeping pad–so broad it covered nearly the whole tent floor–and their sleeping bags, at least an arm's width apart. He lay on top of his, fully dressed with his arms folded under his head, and his legs crossed at the ankle. She slipped into hers and snuggled into the pillow, hands tucked under her chin.

"You're not sleeping?"

"Nope. Not tonight."

"What are you gonna do all night, then?"

"Oh, this and that. Came up with this idea not even twenty-four hours ago, Rose. Still have a few things to prepare, places to scope out. Won't move very far from the campsite, though. Don't worry. And I'll keep the fire alive. There are a few nocturnal creatures–harmless but curious–that will stay away if they see flames. And I'll make sure you have a cuppa waiting tomorrow when you wake up."

"Sounds lovely." She stretched and yawned. "So, this is genuine enough for you, then, Mr. Survivor Man? Tent, sleeping bags, and such."

"If you want, we can leave them behind and build a shelter instead. A bit late now, though, but we can tomorrow. We'd probably have to huddle for warmth, though." He waggled his eyebrows.

She regarded him for a second, but saw no dark glint in his eyes, no hidden meaning to his obvious joke. "Nah. I'm good with a sleeping bag and this very large sleeping pad. It's really rather broad, innit?"

"Yep. Reckoned it was best to get a big one. I've seen you sleep, you know. I'm glad I've never had to share a bed with you."

She huffed. "Wow, thanks. You just keep being a charmer, don't you."

He laughed. "What? You're like a whirlwind! You'd probably push me out!"

"Yeah, well, maybe you deserve it."

"Rose." He rolled over on his side, looking at her. "I'll gladly share a bed with you next time we're stuck somewhere." He paused, face split into a grin "If it's pushed next to a wall and you're lying on the outside."

She stuck her tongue out of him. "Tell me another story."

"All right. Let's see… Well, did I ever tell you about the time Sarah and I went to a parallel Earth and met criminal versions of ourselves?"

* * *

**.**

* * *

The Doctor woke her up with a steaming cup of fragrant tea, sitting by her side as she drank it, babbling about the nettle-like plant he'd used for the brew. Apparently, it was the perfect start of a new day for reasons she was much too disoriented to understand that early in the morning. She merely nodded and kept sipping on the tasty, warm beverage, slowly coming to.

Once dressed and with their tummies full of breakfast, they ventured into the jungle for a morning hike and to pick seeds and sprouts for the gardens in the TARDIS. The Doctor babbled about Smultron and how similar it was in many regards to her home planet. Although they decided to stay in the tent for the night, he shared a few basic survival tricks and how, since the planet's rotation was nearly identical to Earth's, you could use the same tactics to tell the cardinal directions.

Biting her lip, Rose surveyed her surroundings. She chose a few trees and walked up to them, one by one, standing close and looking up at the tree crown, noticing where the branches grew thicker, longer and closer together. She checked for moss and fungi on the trunks, and on rocks on the ground and, lastly, she snooped around for an ant hill. She turned around to the Doctor, who waited for her verdict with his hands shoved into his pockets and a wide smile on his face.

"That's North," she said, pointing in front of her.

"Right-o!" He beamed. "Good job, Rose Tyler! And where would you need to go to get to the camp?"

"Uhm…" She ran her tongue over her teeth, brow knitted, and then pointed to her left.

"Yep!"

"Ooh!" She clapped her hands and smiled, bouncing a little where she stood. "So what now?"

He pulled two pouches out of his pocket and threw one of them at her. "Berry picking! Reckon we could make some jam."

She blinked at him. "Jam? We're making _jam_? On a campfire. In the jungle. Jam."

"Yes. Jam. Smultron has some of the best berries in the galaxy. I'm not leaving without my jam." He looked dead serious.

"So you've brought jars and everything? Really? In those backpacks?"

"Weeeell, I might have cheated just a little bit." He scrunched up his face and held up his index-finger and thumb, less than an inch apart. "Tiny, really." He shoved one hand into his pocket and rummaged around for a few seconds before pulling it out again, opening it and showing off five very small glass jars lying on his palm. "Bigger on the inside!" His grin was one of the widest she'd seen him wear. "We'll be able to fit plenty of jam into these. Hållbarish jars, automatically sanitary, and the TARDIS will keep them fresh. We'll have homemade–well, jungle-made–jam with Glordian sugar, and no preservatives whatsoever!"

She chuckled and shook her head at him. "All right. Let's pick some berries! Anything I should avoid?"

"Nope. Everything's edible. And tasty. Very, very tasty."

* * *

Wiping her forehead with the back of her hand, brushing her fringe aside at the same time, Rose stood up and stretched her back a bit. Her pouch was nearly full, as was her stomach. She stuck out her tongue at the Doctor, showing off its purple colour.

He grinned and did the same. "Almost done?"

"Yeah, got room for some more, though. Just need to find another bush."

Moving forward, she scanned the ground after a dash of colour. Soon, she came upon a thorny plant, waist-high and full of heartshaped, deep red fruits, shining and plump. She licked her lips and reached out for one, fingers sinking into the ripe flesh, juices running down her hand. Looking at its shape and taking in the plum-like scent, she reckoned it must be a stone fruit of sorts. She took a big bite, moaning as the taste hit her tongue. The Doctor had been right about the berries, they were all gorgeous, but this was _sinful_. She gobbled it up, put the pit in her zipper pocket, in case the Doctor wanted it for his gardens, and chose another fruit, already chewing on it as she turned around to tell him about her find.

"Oi! C'mere. I've found the most gorgeous fruit. D'you have room in your pockets?" she asked, quickly nibbling the last of the flesh from the pit and reaching out for another.

"Hm?" He looked up from the sky blue flower he'd been inspecting, glancing at her and then the plant. His jaw dropped, eyes growing wide. "No! No, no, no, no! Don't eat that. Do _not_ eat that!"

She dropped the fruit and spit out what she had in her mouth, wiping her tongue with her fingers. "Oh, my god! Is it poisonous?" She pointed at him, jumping on the spot from frustration. "You said everything was edible!"

"It's not poisonous," he said, rushing up to her. "It's just… Did you eat any?"

"Uhm…" She swallowed, tilting her head down in shame over her gluttony. "I ate two. And a few bites of that one." She nudged the half-eaten fruit on the ground with her foot. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's, ehm, it's an-an…" He grimaced, eyes averted, rubbing at his neck. Turning back to her he cleared his throat, neutral expression on his face. "It's an aphrodisiac."

"A wha'... What's that mean?"

"It means a substance that–"

"Oh, I know that." She frowned at him, dismissing him with an impatient hand gesture. "I meant for me. What's it mean for me?"

"Oh. I need to… Sorry, but I need to...smell you."

"You what?"

"I don't have the sonic! I can't scan you. I need to… Do you use hormonal contraceptives?"

"No, why would I…?"

"In case you–"

"But I don't… Who would I…? I've not–"

"When was the last time you took one?"

"Don't think I've taken any in, like, over a year."

He shook his head. "But...Mickey. Didn't you...when he was travelling with us?"

"Oh, Doctor, we broke up a long time before then."

"Really?"

"Yes! Didn't you know?"

"No." He furrowed his brow, looking as though he was pondering something, but then he shook it off. "But what if you find yourself…? Well, isn't it best to be on...something just in case you…?"

"Uhm. No. Would _you_ take something you probably won't need?"

"Ehm, I… Eeeer, yes. I do, as a matter of fact. Once a year I take a contraceptive shot. Just in case. 'Cause Gallifreyan women were, by nature, hard to, ehm… Well, see, Gallifreyan men have very strong...and you never know, you might be compatible… And in the heat of the mo–"

"Oh, my god." She squeezed her eyes shut, jealousy slithering inside her chest. "I don't care about your stupid sex escapades and your super sperm. What's gonna happen to _me_?!"

"Right. Sorry about this."

He leaned in closer and burrowed his face into her neck, breathing in deeply. A thrill ran through her, from the base of her throat, through her chest and stomach, settling between her thighs. _Fuck._ She shoved her hands into her back pockets to prevent herself from clutching his suit jacket.

"Hm…" He took another sniff. "Hmmm!" A few more, nose brushing against her skin; she shivered, gooseflesh spreading across her body. "Ah."

She felt something wet against her skin and yelped, jumping back a few steps. "Oi! No licking! You can't lick me when I'm all–" She huffed and tugged at the hem of her shirt. "You know."

"But I– Oh, very well." He pinched a hair from her head and put it on his tongue, smacking and tasting. She crinkled her nose at him, but he carried on his analysis, unbothered. "Yep. Definitely raised hormone levels. Heart rate's slightly elevated. And you're already giving off very strong pheromones to attract a mate."

She gasped. "What?"

"Yep. Lucky I landed us where there are no people, hm?" He smiled.

"Don't look so bloody pleased with yourself, you git! You should've told me about these things!"

"But that plant's not supposed to grow here! Hm, suppose it could be–"

She let out a frustrated groan. "Focus!" She pointed at herself, gritting her teeth and shooting him a glare.

"You'll be aroused for a few hours–or shorter, if you do something about it–and then it will just...fade away. Had you eaten a couple more, though…"

"What?"

"Well, let's just say you'd been pretty desperate and, if you couldn't seduce me, you'd just taken care of it yourself, not caring if I watched or not."

"_Watched_?!"

"Well, saw. Noticed. Was aware of... Anywaaaay," he said, tugging at his ear, eyes directed at the trail leading to the camp, "that's not gonna happen. Ready to head back?"

She sighed, squirming a bit from feeling swollen already. "Yeah, I suppose."

He began to walk ahead of her, bum moving inside those stupid, tight trousers of his. She snorted. Oh, this was gonna be great. Just _great_.

* * *

**Note**: Because of a review I received I just want to make it clear that this is not a dub-con story. If any of you really believe that, read through the last exchange again and think about what's being said.


	4. Arousal

**Warning**: Mature language and mentions of arousal and bits  
**beta**: resile

* * *

.

* * *

The kind of arousal coursing through Rose was unlike any she'd experienced; her whole body was affected. Everything was so _hot_ and the throbbing nearly unbearable. The seam of her shorts rubbed against her with every step, worsening her already flustered state. She'd worried her lip swollen, eyes locked on the Doctor's bum. How she hadn't tripped over a root yet was a damn miracle. She had, at least, enough sense to avert her eyes just as they reached the camp, and before he'd turned around and caught her.

"How are you feeling?"

"I, uhm, well…" She sighed and rubbed her forehead, eyes directed elsewhere. "I'm good. Just a bit… I need something to do. What was your plan? Making jam right away?"

"You look a bit flushed."

"Oh, really? Can't imagine why." She plastered a smile on her face. "So...jam?!"

"I think we should wait until you feel better. Jam making can be a bit hot. I mean, temperature-wise, not… Ehm, heat might make it worse for you so, well, I'd planned on us flying kites. I've brought kits we could assemble. Kite kits. Kits of kite bits to make the kites out of." He grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "And last night I found a great place. It's up on a plateau, a bit breezier there. If you want. Could feel good. Cooling."

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, yeah. Is it-is it far? Walking is a bit…"

"Oh. Nope. Not far. Would you rather, ehm, do something else? I can–"

"No, no. Sounds good. Keeping my hands busy. That's-that's good. Very good. Uhm…" She licked her lips and expelled a sharp breath, still not looking at him. "Kits?"

"I'll get them."

Once she'd stopped walking, the throbbing hadn't been as intense, but now, as they sat crouched down on the ground, putting the kites together, it was back in full force. The Doctor told her about stopping in China the other night whilst she slept, and shared some of the history behind this particular kind of kite, but she didn't really hear him. She was busy staring at his clever fingers working with bamboo and silk, imagining what it would feel like to have them teasing her most private place, playing, plunging, pleasuring...

She moaned.

His head snapped up and he looked at her–no, _studied_ her. She closed her eyes and prayed for the ground to swallow her whole, grumbling on the inside when she remained firmly planted on her feet.

"How you holding up?"

"It's fine. I'm fine. I just need… Are we done? Can we go fly these fuckers?"

"Ehm…"

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

"That's all right." He smiled. "I've heard worse. C'mon, I'll show you to the plateau." He grabbed the kites, stood up and started walking–and all she could see was bum, bum, _bum_.

"Doctor! Can I go first, please?"

He turned around, brow furrowed. "But you don't know where we're going."

"Uhm, yeah… Can I, though? Maybe I can chop, if we need to chop? Busy, busy hands." She grabbed an imaginary machete and swung her hands in the air, a grin that felt rather foolish spread across her face. "You can tell me where to go, yeah? Like before."

"Sure." He nodded first at the machete leaning against a pile of firewood he must have gathered during the night, and then at a narrow trail following the beach. "That way."

* * *

**.**

* * *

They stood on top of a saffron-coloured cape, surrounded by the vast expanse of the Samulian sea, spreading out before them until it met the pale, ashen horizon. Strong winds drowned out the noises from the jungle behind them, carrying with them the invigorating chill and salty scent of the ocean. She threw her head back, letting the wind encompass her, whip her hair and fill her lungs. Goosebumps spread across her skin as her body cooled off, easing her discomfort and helping her ignore everything swollen and damp.

Walking there had proven less problematic now that the Doctor's bum hadn't been right in front of her, begging to be ogled. His presence intensified her arousal, but as long as she didn't look at him–or _touch_ him, for that matter–she found it manageable. She'd been aroused around him almost as long as she'd known him without acting on it. Granted, this was different, stronger, but as long as she kept her eyes peeled on the colourful kites soaring in the air, at their long silk tails dancing behind them, it provided her with enough distraction to take her mind off him. Soon, every horny little thought left her mind and she was entirely focussed on the task at hand.

When their stomachs began to rumble with hunger Rose agreed, with some reluctance, to return to the camp. He filled the silence with a constant string of trivia about Smultron whilst they prepared the food. She made an effort to always keep ample space between them, minimising the risk of brushing against him, or noticing his scent. Once their food was ready she ate with gusto, chewing every mouthful thirty times–counting them–and honing in all of her senses on the taste, smell, and texture.

"What would you like to do now?" he asked once they'd washed up. "Reckon we still should wait a little while before we start with our jam session." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Get it?"

"Yeah. Uhm. All I want right now is a cold shower, to be honest." She let out a breathy chuckle, keeping her eyes directed at the calm, indigo surface of the lake, shifting her weight back and forth. "Too bad the water's so warm... Could be nice either way, though, I suppose... Yeah. Swimming sounds good. Yeah. I'm-I'm–"

"I could leave the camp for a bit, if you like. If you want to...take care of yourself."

She blushed all the way from her roots to her chest. "No! I'll just… I'll go change."

She fled to her bower and leaned back against one of the trunks, trying to get her breathing in check. Her vaginal walls were clenching, her nipples had been pebbled for quite some time, and she was sure her wetness had seeped through the fabric of her shorts. She trailed her hand down her stomach, fingers dipping beneath the waistband. Maybe she should just get over herself and… She moved her hand further down, fingers separating her swollen, slick lips, finding her hard clit. Drawing tight circles, she bit her bottom lip and lolled her head back. Soon, relief would wash over her...

What if he were out there waiting, though? Wondering what had happened. How long had she been gone, anyway? Was he out there, realising what she was doing? Could he, with all of his superior senses, hear her? Smell her? Her hand stilled. She wouldn't be able to lie and tell him it wore off. He'd see right through her, notice her post-orgasmic glow. He'd know–she was sure of it–and she has already felt mortified enough for one day. She didn't need the added humiliation of asking him to leave the camp after all so she could masturbate.

She drew her hand back and wiped it on her already sodden shorts, tugged off her clothing in hurried movements, put on her bikini, barely caring if it covered all her bits, and grabbed her towel. It smelled of the flowers growing on the vines, like wild strawberries, sweet and strong. She buried her nose in the soft terrycloth and focused on the scent as she rushed toward the lake.

She'd not taken many steps when the vision of the Doctor–now changed into his swim trunks, towel slung over his shoulder–had her so transfixed her legs stopped moving without her permission. She stumbled, but quickly steadied herself, eyes locked on his body. After giving him a slack-jawed once-over, she lingered at his crotch, trying to suss out what he was hiding underneath the red fabric. Licking her lips, she thought about what she could do to make him grow. First she would slip her hand–

He cleared his throat and she tore her eyes of him, blushing so hard her skin tingled.

"I'm sorry. It feels… It's like really strong right now."

He leaned forward a bit and breathed in deeply. "Ah. Sorry, Rose, I didn't realise. But! Good news! I think you're at the peak right now. Your, ehm, the pheromones are quite...potent." He combed his fingers through his hair. "Reckon it'll fade within the next thirty minutes or so."

She took a step forward, looking up at him through her lashes. "Potent? So you…you like my scent?" Heart pounding in her chest, she placed her hand over his left and felt its strong beat against her palm. "Is there anything else–"

"Rose…"

"Yeah." She staggered back. "I, uhm… Doctor, I get that you probably want to, uhm, you know, uhm, freshen up in the lake, but maybe it's best if you wait a bit. It's…" Tongue darting out the moisture her lips, she tilted her head to the side and gawked at his torso. No! Forcing her eyes shut, she shook her head and inhaled deeply. "I'll, uhm, tell you when it's over."

"Right. I'll just…sun...bathe..."

Eyes still shut, she turned around and headed toward the beach, not opening them until the Doctor was a few paces behind her. She ran into the water and swam far out enough for him to be a mere shape on the sandy beach. She didn't want to see his freckles, the smattering of hair across his chest, the trail leading down to his… Oh, if this was the state two and a half fruits would have her in, she was endlessly grateful she didn't have more.

Her cheeks grew hot with shame as she imagined what would've happened had she finished the third one. Maybe she would have thrown herself at him. Lain down in front of him and touched herself in hopes of... She took a deep breath and exhaled it as she rolled over on her back to float. Thirty minutes, that's what he said. All she had to do was wait.

Watching the clouds drift by, she eventually felt her arousal subside. The Doctor had been right. She'd been at her peak, and now her body seemed to make quick work of the rest. Once she felt certain the effects of the fruit had left her body, Rose snuck up on the beach to the sunbathing Doctor and shook herself over him, giggling as the water cascaded from her body and landed on his. He opened his eyes with a yelp and sat up, frowning at her and shaking his head in disapproval, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and she beamed.

"S'all gone!"

He shot up and enveloped her in a hug, lifting her from the ground and swaying her back and forth–just as he had after Krop Tor. A spike of arousal shot through her at the feeling of his sun warm, barely dressed body pressed to hers. She scrambled out of his arms, head spinning.

"I'm sorry." His Adam's apple bobbed, mouth tense. "Did it flare up?"

Her hand shot up, playing with her hair. "Yeah, uhm...yeah."

"I'm sorry. I… Rose, I didn't know–" He inhaled, sagging a bit as he expelled the breath. "I never should've changed into this. I didn't think you seemed very… And I didn't realise you'd react that strongly to–"

"That's okay! I mean, you're handsome enough, but in that state I probably would've found Chip sexy." She let out a laugh, cringing at the high-pitched sound of it. "All better now, though! Was just the touch. Uhm, suppose physical contact made it..." She shrugged, lips quirked into a half-smile.

"Right. Of course. I'm glad you feel better." He smiled. "I'm just gonna go for a dip. Then maybe we can start with the jam? It's getting late and we have an early morning tomorrow."

"We do?"

"Yep. Tomorrow's the...thing. Why we're here."

"Oooh, it takes place on a certain day? What is it?"

"I'm not gonna tell you. You'll have to be patient."

She crinkled her nose and pursed her lips. "I don't do patience. Why d'you think I shacked up with someone who owns a time machine?"

He laughed and, without turning his back to her, began to walk toward the lake. "Well, you'll have to, just this once."

* * *

**.**

* * *

"So…" The Doctor dipped two fingers into the pot of jam they've kept for eating straight away, instead of pouring it into a Hållbarish jar. "Am I allowed to tease you yet? Or is it too recent?" He grinned, fingers stuck in his mouth.

"What? No!" She gave him a gentle push, barely budging him from the spot beside her at the campfire. "Tell you what, though. Don't think I'll ever be embarrassed about anything else for the rest of my life. Nothing can top that! S'like–" Hiding her face in her hands, she shook her head. "Why do I always do that? Eat the wrong thing, open the wrong door, talk to the wrong person."

He grinned. "'Cause you're jeopardy friendly. You just can't help yourself." He sucked more jam off his fingers. "Besides, usually for the best, isn't it? It's often how we end up solving the whole thing."

"Oh, you winningly admit that, huh?"

He smiled, tilting his head, tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth. "Weeell, I'm feeling charitable today."

"Yeah. S'not like you." She narrowed her eyes at him. "It's freaking me out. Stop that."

He kept smiling, so she smiled as well, chest swelling with emotions and thrills swirling in the pit of her stomach. She drew in a ragged breath and rubbed her arms, breaking eye contact.

"It's a bit cold out here, innit? Even with the fire. I'll just go get my hoodie."

"You should probably go to sleep anyway. Early day, remember? I'll fetch your frisktree twig."

They cleaned their teeth and, although he wasn't sleeping until the following night, he joined her in the tent. He lay on top of his sleeping bag, telling her a story just like the evening before. She'd slipped into hers and lay curled up on her side, enjoying his intonation more than his words. Her body soon felt the effect of the day's taxing events, limbs growing limp and eyelids heavy. She'd nearly drifted off to sleep when he broke his storytelling and said something that forced her eyes open.

She peered at him in the darkness, tent only dimly lit by the still burning fire outside. "What did you say?"

"About my sex escapades…"

"Yeah?"

"I don't-I don't–" He sighed. "I don't have _sex escapades_."

"Yeah, might not have been the best way of putting it. I'm sorry. I was scared 'cause I didn't know what was going on with my body. But it's okay that you, uhm, that you... You don't have to explain anything to me, all right? I've seen you flirt. Women love you. Just in the time I've known you there's been…" She swallowed their names, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep the hurt out of her voice. "A lot. I get it. You're bound to feel the same now and then. S'only natural. I mean, you're old. Must've been in love a few times in your life. Or just, you know, uhm, wanted someone."

He's quiet for a few seconds. "Yes. That...happens. Sometimes I, ehm… Well, sometimes you meet someone and you know that it's only–"

"Really. It's okay. You don't need to explain. I'm sorry that I was rude." She played with the drawcord on her sleeping bag. "Uhm, I was almost asleep, right, and I'm really tired..."

"Oh... Yeah, I need to do a few things anyway..." He moved to the entrance, zipped it open, and stepped outside, but lingered for a bit before sticking his head back in. "I'll wake you up tomorrow. Good night, Rose."

She couldn't see his expression, backlit by the fire as he was, but his voice was warm, so she smiled. "Night, Doctor."


	5. Gap - part I

**beta**: resile

* * *

"All right! I'm dressed and ready to–" Rose blinked a few times. "Are you eating jam? Again?"

"Eeehm." He grinned, wiggling his sticky fingers, lips coated dark purple. "Evidently."

"Thought you said we couldn't open those jars until we're back in the TARDIS."

He glanced at the fire and she followed his gaze. One of the larger pots he brought from the galley stood on a few of the heated rocks, purple goo running from the rim and pooling on the ground.

"You made more whilst I slept?"

His grin grew wider. "I saved you some."

She laughed and shook her head. "Nah. Let's move. Which way today?"

He smiled at her and licked his fingers with great care, tongue swirling and mouth popping. Not needing that picture lingering in her head all day, she turned around and picked up the sheathe holding the machete. After fastening it around her hips, she faced him again.

"Going first today as well, I see," he said, tone a bit curt.

She worried her lip, regarding him. "Is that all right?"

"Yes." He pointed at a small trail leading in the opposite way of the cape they visited yesterday. "It's a long hike, though. Hope you're up for it."

"Yep! Feel great today, actually," she said, heading in the direction he'd indicated.

"Good," he said, walking behind her. "We'll be gone all day. I estimate us being back an hour before sundown, and then… Well, we'll sleep of course and then we can do whatever you like. Stay for a couple of days, or return to the TARDIS. Whatever you fancy."

"Really?" She turned around, walking backwards as she spoke. "I think I might like to stay at least one more night. We never really do this. S'nice."

"Yeah."

"So, about the hike… Was pretty rough last time. Maybe I should get me one of those walking sticks, yeah? Like the one Gandalf has."

"Gandalf doesn't have a walking _stick_. He has a wizard's staff!"

"Doesn't he use it as a walking stick, though?"

"That's beside the point! It's not a _stick_. It's a powerful–"

"What? _Powerful_?" She threw a glance over her shoulder, making sure the path stayed even. "He barely did anything with it! He could've done more damage by hitting people over the head with it, if you ask me. Useless, that thing. Except as a walking stick. Seemed like a bloody _good_walking stick to me." She sniffed and turned back around. "Reckon I could do with one."

"Hitting over the head? _Stick_?! I'll have you know that– Wait." She heard quick footsteps coming up behind her and two seconds later he was blocking her path, eyes narrowed. "Are you winding me up?"

"You know, for a bloke who doesn't believe in magic–"

"It's not about believing or not believing, Rose. I know for a fact that magic doesn't exist! It's just people explaining things they don't understand with some supernatural hocus pocus load of rubbish!"

"Well, you sure love your wizards anyway." She grinned. "I've seen your Harry Potter memorabilia collection, you know."

He held his hands out, palms up, eyes wide open. "What's not to love?! You can tease me all you like, Rose, but I see no shame in having an unhealthy obsession with something. Yes, I _am_ a Potterhead, and I'm proud of it." He shot her a toothy smile.

"Sometimes you're such an adorable idiot I just wanna hug you," she said, giggling–and then she realised what had slipped out of her. Her stomach flipped in the most unpleasant sort of way, but she kept grinning and waggled her eyebrows to take the edge off her words.

He blinked at her, jaw somewhat slack for a second before his lips curved up in a hesitant smile. He held his arms out in invitation, body stiff, guarded eyes considering her. God, she could just _slap_ her daft self. They only ever hugged when they were reunited after a separation, or survived something dangerous. Granted, a few times they'd shared a celebratory embrace, or one of comfort, but never just for the sake of it, and _never_ out of obligation. This wasn't them–and especially not him. All his hugs _meant_ something; she was so angry with herself for putting him on the spot.

Cringing at the thought of going through with such a contrived hug, she shook her head and stroked him on the arm as she walked past him. "Just a figure of speech, Doctor. C'mon. Someone told me we have a long walk ahead."

* * *

**.**

* * *

After hiking through the jungle for a couple of hours, Rose and the Doctor reached a savanna of the same saffron hue as the cape from the day before. Telling her their destination lay behind the mountains she could see in the distance, he led her down a well-trodden path leading there. He explained how large mammals, similar to stegosaurus, had created this road by migrating between their dwellings and their mating grounds twice per year for millennia. It stretched from one end of the peninsula to the other and the twenty minute stroll they would take was only a fraction of it.

The sun bore down on them as they walked side by side, red dust swirling around their feet for every step. Her vest top clung to the small of her back, fringe plastered to her forehead, sweat trickling down her temples. He looked unaffected, of course, even though he was wearing his full get-up, coat included.

She grabbed her hair and lifted it up, letting the mild breeze cool her neck. "God, I'm hot. Please tell me there's water where we're going."

"Oh, yes. Nice little stream of fresh, cold water. "

She gave him a playful push. "And you tell me this now. I didn't bring my bikini!"

"It's really cold, Rose. I don't think you'll wanna swim in it."

"Yeah, all right. But a quick dip to wash this off would've been nice."

"You're wearing underwear, though, aren't you? It's practically the same thing. And there'll be enough sun for you to dry rather quickly."

"Well, yeah, but…" She bit her lip and looked away. "Uhm. They're white."

"So?"

She gave him a dribbled-on-your-shirt look. "Doctor, what happens to white fabric when it's wet?"

His mouth fell open in an 'oh' and he gave her a one-shouldered shrug. "I won't look. If you need to cool off."

"Any other bloke would've," she muttered under her breath.

His brow furrowed slightly. "I'm not any other bloke. I re–"

"Did you say 'nice _little_ stream'?" She cocked an ear. "I can _hear_ it."

"Oh." He grinned. "Yeah, 'little' might not be the correct word."

Seeing his smile, she realised it was the first real one he'd given her since they began hiking. He'd told her a lot about the wildlife on the Wildflower peninsula, pointed at the different species of this planet's version of paradise birds and explained–in detail–about their intricate mating dances and songs. He'd picked herbs for them to chew, fresh, green leaves with strong flavours of lemon and something he called anise, but she didn't know what that was, although the taste was familiar. After a while she'd stopped listening, brain full of new knowledge she'd never use, but he'd kept at his lecture, talking and talking and…

Tongue running along the edge of her teeth, her eyes flitted between him and the trail leading from the road in between the mountains. Her face split out into a wide grin and she grabbed his hand.

"Run!"

She tugged him along as she darted forward, sheathe slapping against her thigh. A warm wave of relief washed through her when he laughed and she joined in, their laughter bouncing off the walls of narrow passage taking them into a clearing behind the mountains. A river ran through it, clear water rushing forward until it plunged over a cliff. She kept running, following the river bank to get a good look at the waterfall. His grip around her hand tightened as she snuck closer to the edge and peered down at the purple lagoon below, the same shade as the periwinkles growing in her nan's garden. On the dark blue cliffs and rocks, white waterbirds sat, singing and clucking, craning their necks for a drink, or to snatch one of the golden fish hiding in the coral at the bottom.

"Oh! Are we going down there?"

"No." He pulled her back a bit. "There's no way up again, so–"

"Mind my step. Yeah, I know." She gave his hand a squeeze before letting go, moving further away from the edge. "So, where are we going, then?"

"Just a bit further. There should be a stream there as well, coming from another direction. If you still want to wash."

"When are you gonna tell me what it is?"

"When you see it. I'll explain what it is when you see it. It's not… It's meant to be experienced. Actually..." He tugged at the knot of his tie, sliding it free and giving her such a wicked grin she got a swooping feeling in her stomach.

* * *

**.**

* * *

With cool silk wrapped around her head, covering her eyes, Rose listened to her surroundings: the constant roaring of another waterfall; strong flaps of bird wings, short crowing noises blended with drilling chirps, all in diminuendo, as though a flock flew past them; a hum of thousands of voices, laughter and singing carried by wind, echoing between rocks or cliffs; and the Doctor's calm, even breaths in her ear. Her heart thumped hard and fast from the anticipation but, most of all, from the way he held his arm around her waist as he steered her toward wherever they were going.

She heard him remove his coat and spread it out on the ground before helping her sit down and scoot forward until her legs dangled in the air. Her stomach did somersaults and she clutched at his chest, tight fists wrapped around the fabric of his suit jacket. She held her eyes closed as he took off her blindfold, holding her breath as she waited for her cue. He removed her hands from his chest at the same time as he wrapped his free arm around her back, anchoring her.

"Okay. You can open them now."

She scrunched up her face as she squinted at the light, hand lifted to shadow her face. Her jaw dropped when she saw the canyon laid down before them: an endless red landscape of dips and shallows, sprinkled with ponds gleaming like polished amethysts in the sun; long stretches of flower fields, enormous buds in pink and yellow, swaying on long, lime green stems; a river flowing from the waterfall, down to the lagoon she saw earlier, its beds covered by tall reeds, moving more from the wildlife it held than from the gentle wind; and, far far away, across the gap, what couldn't be anything but people, small to her eye because of the distance.

"Oh, Doctor. This is _gorgeous_. This whole planet is!"

"Oh, you've seen nothing yet."

"What d'you mean?"

He smiled, close-mouthed but wide, chin tilted up and head moving a bit from side to side, happy about his secret. "It's gonna start soon. Give it a few more minutes. We're right on time."

Tongue caught between her teeth, she eyed the canyon, then him, but she settled in his arm and waited–and waited, impatience growing inside her and reminding her that she was hot and sticky. She shifted around–shivering as his hand ran down her back from the movement, missing it when it landed on the ground behind her–and tugged off her boots and socks. Swinging her legs over the edge again, she wiggled her toes and let out a content 'ah'. She glanced at the space between them, increased from her action. His hand lay there, fingers curled and relaxed, and still. She clasped hers in her lap, and surveyed the canyon once more.

"What's it called?" she whispered.

"Älskogskanjonen."

"Beg your pardon?"

He smiled. "It means Canyon of Love Making."

She scrunched up her nose. "Wow, that's cheesy. Why's it called that, then?"

"I'll tell you later. Now, hush. It's gonna start any minute."

She grinned. "The love making?"

"Not– No."

"Are those people?" she asked, pointing at the opposite side of the canyon.

"Shh."

"But are they?"

"Yes."

"What are they doing?"

"Waiting."

"Are they tourists or Smultronians?"

"Both." He tapped his ear. "Listen."

She cocked her head and noticed how the constant buzz of voices lowered, as though they all knew what was coming.

"Look at the flowers. The large ones, looking like pink and yellow peonies."

She chose the field closest to them and _stared_, twirling her hair in frustration over not knowing what she was supposed to look for. Just as she was about to ask him again, she saw a few of the flowers move and her hand stilled, strand wrapped around her fingers. One by one, the buds folded their petals open and released a cloud of orange dust; from the tall grass butterfly creatures rose and began to feast on the powder. Most of them were coloured like the Smultronian water, in different shades of purple, but others were blue and turquoise, pink and fuschia.

Soon she discovered a pattern: after eating their fair share, many of the creatures began to form pairs, dancing in the air, embracing, swirling, and fluttering around one another and in circles.

"Here," the Doctor said, and pulled a pair of binoculars out of his pocket. "Look inside a flower."

Small eggs, white shells with pink dots, lay nestled in the florets. She swept the binoculars over the field and noticed that some flowers held up to five or six eggs, although most held only one. The creatures danced closer to the petals and she gasped when she realised that they looked like people–arms, legs, heads, and lean, naked bodies, all the bits you'd expect–only miniature, hairless, and with wings sprouted from their shoulder blades. The couples sought out eggs and curled around them, mouths moving as they began to sing, a low keyed hymn echoing throughout the canyon. A moment later, the powerful sound of thousands of voices singing in unison reached them and goosebumps spread across her limbs as she realised the people across the gap had joined in.

"These flowers bloom once every other year," the Doctor whispered in her ear. "Those lifeforms– fierils, they're called–come here to either find a mate or, if they're a mated pair, to create new life. It takes place in a day, all of it. They come together, the male impregnates the female, and later this afternoon, she'll give birth, and then they spin an egg from the pollen they ingested earlier, wrapping the babies to keep them from harm. Tonight, the flower will close again, keep those little eggs safe, give them nectar and pollen for nourishment, until it's time for the flower to bloom again. The rest of the gestation period takes place in that little egg."

"So, they'll hatch? Those eggs that were already there?"

"Yep. Those will hatch–or, well, it's not _really_ an egg. They will untangle, and then find their parents–"

She lowered the binoculars, looking at him, brow crinkled in concern. "But what if their parents are gone? Two years is a long time."

He smiled. "They'll be taken in by someone else. Anyway, tonight new families will have been formed, old families will have new additions, young lovers will have met, new life will have been created… All in a day."

"That's beautiful… And they always sing the same song? The tourists, they seem to know it, yeah?"

"Always."

"And it's this big thing! There must be thousands of people over there. Just to see this."

"Tens of thousands. But not just to see." He looked out over the canyon for a moment. "Any second now."

She lifted the binoculars again, but he stilled her movement. "Just listen."

He'd barely said the last word when she heard it, soft voices in a wide range, some so deep Rose felt the ground tremor beneath her, others high and trilling, gliding between notes, harmonising with one another, always pitch-perfect.

The melody tugged at something deep within her, stirring nearly forgotten childhood memories to the surface: sitting in a round, metal tub in her nan's shower, bubbles up to her ears, and being lifted up and wrapped in a too-large dressing gown, and placed in front of the fire, hot chocolate in the yellow cup that was only for her, and a few biscuits on a silver tray that wasn't really silver; having her hair brushed every evening by her mum, being told stories about her dad–stories Rose now knew were mostly lies, but it didn't take away from the fact that her hard-working mum made sure they had their rituals, their moments every day that were only theirs; leaning on the steadfast and caring Mickey, who taught her how to ride a bike and later drive a car, comforted her after scuffed knees, and later breakups or unreciprocated crushes.

"The babies don't cry when they're hatched," the Doctor said, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked at him in confusion, needing a second to come back to reality, but his eyes were directed at the canyon as he continued to speak, "They sing. And they all sing, all the fierils. It's why the tourists come. It's considered a blessing: for unions, for pregnancies, love, friendship, family… For life."

He turned and smiled to her, eyes drifting over her face. "It touches people," he said, brushing away a few tears she was unaware of shedding, fingers soft and featherlight against her cheek. "If you ask those tourists, they'll say the singing reaches into your heart and releases feelings from days long gone, but that's not true, of course. It's really telepathy. The fierils don't read your mind, but most species are susceptible to the telepathic field connecting all of them. It affects us, fires up the old noggin, brings back old memories."

"It's beautiful. I feel...peaceful. Safe." She squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder for a second. "Thank you."

He nodded, beaming. "They'll sing like this all day. Right now it's the song of birth, then they will teach their offspring the song of their people. Sometime during the afternoon, we'll hear songs of courting–that's when most of the tourists here to marry, well, _marry_–and, had we stayed until the night, we'd heard mating songs."

"And that's when the tourists here to shag, well, _shag_," she said with a laugh.

"Yep."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yep. The atmosphere becomes very...passionate. These songs brings happy memories from your childhood, the late night singing, on the other hand… But we won't be here then. We need to get back before dark."

"Good! I don't much fancy losing control over my body like that again." She shuddered.

"You wouldn't. It's not how the singing works. The fruit you ate creates arousal out of nothing, makes you desperate enough to…" He shrugged. "But the singing, it amplifies what's already there."

"Oh. Well...that's good," she said, hoping her smile didn't look as stiff as it felt.

"I'll have us out of here well before dark either way, though. It's, ehm, it's too cold for you, and…" He sniffed a few times, looking up at the sky. "Mm, it smells like rain. Yep. You need to be safe inside your sleeping bag, inside a tent, when night falls."

"I don't see a single cloud."

He smiled. "Well, Rose Tyler. Give it seven or eight hours. It will rain."

"Okay, you're the expert! We're staying for the rest of the day, though, right?"

"If you like."

"Yeah, I do. S'lovely, this. I really love it."

"Well, then," he said, standing up and beaming. "Let's go to the river and catch us some fish."

She didn't notice that he'd held out his hand, offering her help, until she'd jumped up on her feet. Grinning, she watched him shove the hand into his pocket. "You're really that scared that I'm gonna fall down in the canyon?"

"Weell," he said, tugging at his ear. "There's no way up. And even if there were, the whole canyon is sacred. No aliens allowed. You'd be thrown in jail. It really would be rather bad if you fell in. Also, you'd hurt yourself. Can't have that, can we?"

"Nope. I won't fall. Promise."

"Good, good." He gestured in front of him. "Shall we?"


	6. Gap - Part II

Beta: resile

* * *

Rose licked her fingers clean after finishing the last piece of the fish she'd caught. They'd found a shallow, lukewarm pond a short distance from the canyon and she'd stood there, water up to her knees for fifteen minutes, waiting for one of the lazy silver coloured fish to swim between her legs. The Doctor had caught one as well and they'd gone back to the cliff by the canyon and made a fire, grilling their catch and a few skewers with mushrooms and fruit, listening to the neverending songs of the fierils.

"So, Rose Tyler, what do we have left?"

"Huh?"

"The full camping experience. Wasn't that what I promised?"

"Oh, let's see... We've hiked. A lot," she said with a laugh. "And we've seen a bunch of animals, swam in a lake, slept in a tent, grilled stuff, caught fish, flown kites… What did I say, anyway?"

"Weeell, your exact words were: 'You know, the lovely hike, seeing a deer or two. No aching feet or sweaty bodies. S'mores and ghost stories in front of the fire. Skinny dipping under a clear starlit sky…Shagging in a tent. You know, the full camping experience.' With a head tilt thrown in somewhere, if I remember correctly. Which I do, 'cause I'm brilliant."

"Oh yeah?"

He sniffed. "It was after 'sky'."

She chuckled. "Well, we've done most of that. Suppose your adventures could count as ghost stories?"

"Sure." He moved his tongue around, picked something off the tip, and rubbed his fingers together.

"Or we can tell a few ghost stories tonight? In the tent, though, 'cause of the rain. _If_ it rains, Mr. Weather Man." She grinned, tongue poking out between her teeth. He nodded, but didn't smile back. "Uhm, you're sleeping tonight, right?"

"Yeah."

"'Kay…" She regarded him for a moment, wondering why he was being so curt, but he was busy picking some lint off his trousers. "Leaves us with s'mores, then, doesn't it? Are we making s'mores? I've, uhm, I've always wanted to taste one."

He looked up from what he was doing, smiling. "I was hoping you'd say that!" He started pulling things out of his trouser pockets: a pack of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, and a few thin rectangles wrapped in tinfoil. "I know it's not evening, but I… Well, it's a lovely day and… Well, it's gonna rain tonight, anyway..." He shrugged.

"Yeah, s'perfect." She smiled. "Let's make some s'mores!"

He unwrapped the crackers and the chocolate; she broke them in squares. Roasting the marshmallows, they watched them puff up and double their size, and blew out the flames when they caught on fire. He showed her how to sandwich them between crackers and chocolate; she licked her lips in anticipation, pressing the pieces together, smushing the middle into a chocolaty goo.

"Okay, here I go." She closed her eyes and sunk her teeth into the treat, humming when the flavour hit her tongue, sweet, bitter, salty, and rich. "Oh, it's gorgeous," she said around the mouthful. "And this chocolate is _amazing_." Curious about how it would taste without the marshmallow and cracker, she broke of a piece from the last block, moaning as it melted in her mouth. "I take that back. Amazing is not a big enough word. That's the best chocolate I've ever had!"

"I should think so! It's considered one of the best chocolates in the universe. Hand-made by nuns in a New Venusian convent. Can't buy it. They won't accept money. You have to help them somehow. So I translated some old texts for them and donated a few things from the wardrobe. Got me six blocks!"

"Hold on. You did that, got the kites in china, boots for me, tent, sleeping bags and that big pad, found this planet– Have you been here before?"

"Yep. Over there." He gestured over his shoulder with his half-eaten s'more. "But this time I decided we should have the best seats in the house." He grinned, chin tilted up a bit. "Wouldn't have been able to see anything with that whole lot over there taking up space."

"But you've never been on this peninsula," she asked, and he shook his head. "Then how do you know where everything is? Knew where to land, set up camp… Everything."

He pierced more marshmallows on their skewers. "Well, did my research and memorised the map."

"Yeah, but… You did all that, that night. After the film. Must've taken you a long time."

"You slept nine hours, Rose. And I am, as I mentioned earlier, brilliant."

"Yeah, but why go through all that trouble? You never...you never plan anything."

"You've never gone camping."

"So you did all that just for me?"

He shrugged, looking at the flames as they licked the treats golden brown.

She got up on her knees, closed the short distance between them and wrapped her arms around his chest. He was still holding the skewers and it was a bit awkward, but she leaned her head on his shoulder and squeezed him tighter.

"Thank you, Doctor. Everything's perfect. Yeah, okay, I could do without the fruit," she said, smiling as she felt him chuckle. "But everything else is just _perfect_."

Still smiling, she pulled back; he turned to face her, eyes meeting hers, warm and sparkling, surrounded by crinkles. Her breath hitched and she felt a jolt in her stomach. He was so close. If she were to lean in, just a little bit, she could lick that smudge of chocolate from the corner of his mouth, press her lips against his…and ruin their friendship, and make an utter fool of herself.

She ducked her head and moved back, grabbing a prepared square of crackers and chocolate, holding it up so he could place the roasted marshmallow there. She closed the crackers around it and held it in place as he pulled back the skewer, watching her with that look in his eye that made her feel as though he could see right through her. A chill ran down her spine. Could he? Did the telepathic field heighten his senses? If he were to enter her mind and read her thoughts, would she feel it? Was he aware of what she nearly did? Did he know how much she–

"We should move back to the edge. The courting's about to start. You'll want to see that."

"Oh, okay." She got up on her feet, but he stayed put. "You coming?"

"I'll take care of this." He nodded at the mess they'd made. "You go ahead."

"What?" She grinned at him. "You're letting me near the edge on my own?"

"Hm? Oh. Yes." His lips curved up. "I trust you."

He joined her a few minutes later and spread out his coat once more. She moved onto it, sitting so close to him their thighs nearly touched. The hymn still echoed throughout the canyon and, although they'd heard it during their meal, they hadn't been close enough to be affected. Now she felt the same kind of tug in the pit of her stomach but, instead of memories from her childhood resurfacing, she remembered all the times the Doctor had taken her hand, saved her, and been saved by her. Every little moment when she'd been so in love with him she'd felt as though she was about to burst.

She watched the creatures' courting ritual, how they fluttered their wings, flew in loops and swoops, acted coy, bold, then coy again. A familiar dance she'd, although the details often differed, seen on so many different planets by now, and in so many different times. Even though it was a beautiful sight, she closed her eyes and relaxed, basking in the tingling sensation the memories brought to her stomach and chest.

"Oh, I get why people come here," she whispered after a long moment. "It's...glorious. I feel wonderful." Beaming, she opened her eyes and turned to face him, but her smile died when she saw his glum expression. "Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"Are you all right?"

"Right as rain, Rose."

"Right as rain, Rose," she said, grinning and nudging his shoulder with hers.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Uhm… Don't you like those things? Those-those…"

"Oh. Yes. Quite. Alliterations. Yes, I do like those. Right as rain, Rose." He smiled. "Yes, I quite like that."

"Is it the singing?"

"Is what the singing?"

"You're… Does it remind you of, uhm, the things-the things you've lost, and…" She picked at her nails, teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "You're… Are you all right?"

"Yes, it's the singing. I'm fine."

"Then why did you… If you knew you'd be sad, why did you…?"

"I can block it out, if I want to, but sometimes… Sometimes it's good to be reminded, I suppose."

"Oh. D'you wanna talk about-about her? Or, uhm, them?"

He gave her a tender smile. "No, Rose. I'm fine."

She nodded, eyes flitting over his face. He didn't look fine, not at all. She scooted closer and hugged him, pulling him closer to her, rubbing soothing circles on his back. He was stiff in her arms at first, but soon he relaxed and leaned his head on hers, humming along with the singing. After a while it started to feel uncomfortable, straining on her neck and side, bum going a bit numb, but he made no effort to move, so neither did she.

A long moment passed before he sat up straight again; she stretched her stiff body and yawned.  
"Well, we better be heading back." He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. "Yep. We should be back just before dark. Reckon we'll have time for supper before rain falls as well. C'mon."

* * *

**.**

* * *

"And then, right, Mickey said that he hadn't tossed it at all. So we went and had a look, right, but he's such a lying little– Eeeek, what are you mphflmfm!"

Rose found herself on her back in a mud pit with the Doctor draped over her in a way that was more protective than erotic. They'd been hiking and chatting when, all of a sudden, he'd hurled himself at her and thrown them down on the ground, rolling to the side and landing in this cold puddle. She felt the mud seep through her clothes, chilling her to the bone, and she was fairly certain some of it had found its way into her knickers.

She squirmed a bit and, since he didn't budge, opened her mouth to ask him why he decided to mud wrestle all of a sudden; however, the sound of a stampede of _something_ hit her ear and a second later, a pink flurry rushed over them, fuzzy paws landing in the mud, splashing her in the face. The Doctor was propped up on his elbows and forearms, but his body still pushed closer to her every time someone landed on his back. She scanned his expression for any sign of pain, but he only looked focussed, brow furrowed, eyes moving as he listened. It struck her how similar this was to shagging, him lying on top of her, his pelvis pushing into hers every few seconds–well, minus the pink creatures running over them. She giggled.

His eyes flitted to her. "What? Huh? Really? Giggling?!"

"Oh, uhm… S'just… Wish I'd known about this pit when I was on that fruit. Pretty cold, innit?" she said, looking around as best as she could, noticing the herd thinning.

"Oh. Yep. I think that was the last of–"

"Hold on!" She craned her neck. "Is that furry bastard wearing my knickers on its head?"

"Yep!" The Doctor rolled off her and sat up, grinning. "Looked rather fetching, though, I reckon. Those polka dots really brought out his eyes."

She sat up as well and looked after the pink monkey-bear creatures. One had her backpack slung over its shoulder, another the Doctor's towel wrapped around its tail.

She gave him a good whack on the chest. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"If you think that our camp just was raided by lurvapas, then, yes, it does. Not that I know how you would assume such a thing since you have no previous knowledge of lurvapas. Unless we count the one we saw on our hike from the TARDIS the other day, but I never told you the name of the species and–"

"I'm wet. All of me. Wet and muddy. And a flock of lervahpas–"

"Lurvapas."

She narrowed her eyes. "_Lurvapas_ just ran off with all my clean clothes?"

"Seems like."

"...and what about your clothes?"

"I saw one of them carrying my backpack."

"The tent?"

"Didn't see it. The sleeping bags, however..."

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Can we run after them? Get our stuff back."

"Didn't you see them go? They're fast as cheetahs." He nodded at the sky. "Dark soon, as well."

"Oh, bloody hell." She sighed. "Okay. How far to the camp?"

"Couple of minutes. I think they smelled us and that's why they fled all of a sudden. Lurvapas are really very shy by nature."

"Yeah? Seemed like a curious bunch of terrors to me."

He chuckled. "Quite. C'mon, let's do damage control."

* * *

**.**

* * *

Hands on her hips, Rose surveyed the campsite with a shake of her head: the tent was torn down, but looked intact; both kites were shredded; the Doctor's towel and swim trunks, hung on a branch to dry this morning, were gone; and so was the pot of jam and what little food they had left. The Doctor stood beside her, looking as though he'd walked straight out from Carrie's prom–and Rose knew she did as well. They were covered in red mud from head to toe and she was already shivering from the cold.

She nodded, lips pressed together. "Told you this would happen, I did. Might have been a pack of pink fur monkeys instead of the occasional bear, but… Camp's gone."

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Oops."

She laughed. "God, this is so _us_. D'you think they'll come back?"

"No, they're scared of people."

"What are we gonna do now?"

"We have about half an hour. You need to clean up and get dressed in something dry. Well…" He looked down at his body. "We both do."

"But in what? We don't have any clothes! What, are we supposed to sew something of the tent?!"

"No, we'll need it once it starts to rain."

"Fuck! Sorry. Oh!" She grabbed his arm. "The bower! Maybe they left it alone. Be right back." She ran to the lake and washed her hands before rushing to her little dressing room. To her relief, her big, fluffy towel and bikini were still there, dry and ready to wear. She pinched them and held them out in front of her, careful not to make a mess. "Look! I can get cleaned up and wear this at least."

"Brilliant! Yes. You get cleaned up, and I'll sort the tent. But don't… Well, you can't use the towel to dry yourself. We'll need it. You know, eeer, as a-a blanket."

"'_We_'."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he gave her a nod.

"What, you mean…?"

He scratched his neck, looking elsewhere. "Yeah…"

"Oh..." She got a swooping feeling in her stomach, blush creeping up her cheeks, mouth turning awfully dry. "But what… You need to," she gestured around his body, "as well, yeah? What are you gonna wear? Or are your pants dry?"

"Ehm… I don't… Weeeell, I'm not-not wearing...pants."

"Oooooh. Really? Huh. But you're always in layers!"

"Rose, just go wash yourself. We need to hurry up. I-I...I won't look."

"Yeah, 'course."

She went down to the beach, stripped and waded into the water, washing the mud off her body and her clothes as quickly as she could whilst still being thorough. Once she was clean, she got up and shook her body, wrung the water out of her garments and hair, letting the wind and the setting sun dry her body as much as it could before slipping into her bikini. The Doctor sat by the fire, back to her; she called to him that she was done and, to give him some privacy, busied herself by hanging up her clothes on a tree where she knew the morning sun shone. Hopefully, unless it rained all night, she'd have something dry to wear the next day.

By the time he came back, the sun had almost set. She sat, wrapped in her towel for warmth, and stared into the flames, stomach growling. He settled down beside her and she turned away from him the slightest bit out of respect.

"Rose. I'm not naked."

"Oh. How…?"

He jumped up on his feet, beaming and striking a pose, arms akimbo, modesty just barely protected by a loincloth made out of silk from the kites. "Found a couple of pieces big enough and whipped up this little thing."

She laughed and clapped her hands. "Dashing!"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Ain't I just?" His smile slipped and he looked out over the jungle with a sigh. "Suppose I need to get us something to eat. You should stay by the fire, though. It's too cold out there."

"No!"

"No?"

"No! You're not leaving me here alone with those pink furballs!"

"Rose, I told you. They're long gone, and they're not coming back."

She huffed. "Yeah, well, you've told me a lot of things. Doesn't mean it's true."

He ducked his head, nodding a few times, mouth a thin line.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." She reached up and grabbed his hand. "Please don't go."

"I can hear your stomach, you know. You're hungry."

"Oh, please." She snorted. "I've gone a day without food more times than I can count since I met you. I think I'll survive a night. We can eat tomorrow."

He sighed and sat down again. "We should probably get to bed, then."

She tugged at the towel. "Will this really keep us warm?"

"I can, ehm, well, you see… I can raise my body temperature a bit. I'll-I'll keep you warm. We'll be...warm. We'll–"

"Lucky me," she said, voice soft, smiling. "Uhm, I need to wee, though. Didn't we save some chocolate and marshmallows? Maybe we can have that? Or did it get ruined by the mud?"

"No, the stuff in my pocket should be fine. I'll go get it."

Crouched down behind a few bushes, Rose stared up at the sky, darkened by heavy clouds. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head. Huddling for warmth during a rainstorm in the jungle wasn't quite how she'd imagine her first time sleeping with the Doctor–or, well, to be quite honest, a similar scenario might have popped up in her head a few times as she fantasised about him. She doubted this would turn out like any of her fantasies, though...

When she came back to the fire, she noticed four oblong shaped tin foil packets lying on the ember. Her stomach rumbled at the sweet scent wafting from them, and she sat down beside the Doctor, licking her lips

"What's that, then?"

"Remember how I told you I always keep a banana in my pocket?" He beamed. "I had four!"

"So you…?"

He grabbed a packet and opened it, revealing a banana sliced open and propped full of chocolate and marshmallows, melted together.

"Oh, my god, I could kiss you!" She threw him a quick glance and rushed to add, "That one's also just a figure of speech, by the way."

"I know. We should dig in." He moved the other packets off the embers, looking up at the sky. "Ten minutes I reckon."

Eight minutes later, they crawled into the tent, stomachs full and teeth cleaned. The sleeping pad had been ripped apart by the lurvapas, a big chunk of it missing, but there was enough left for them to lie comfortably.

"I suppose they didn't know you should roll it up," she said, standing on her knees, towel bundled up in her arms.

"Yeah." He lay down on his side and held his arms open, eyes averted and mouth curved down; she hesitated, swallowed, hugging the towel closer to her body. "I'm so sorry, Rose. I wish I could…"

Realising he was only feeling insecure, she smiled and shuffled closer. She curled up next to him and draped the towel over them, turning her back to him. "Remember that jail cell on Ixox? Got lice from that bed, I did. Or on Nattskräck? There were real monsters under the bed! On Perma Twelve I had to share a bed with the Chief's daughter. She smelled real bad and hogged the covers. Snored too. In my ear. And on Galosh! Remember that? Sleeping sitting up, for three nights straight. You know, this, this isn't half bad."

"Is it all bad, then?"

She laughed. "No."

He wrapped his arm around her waist. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah."

He tucked her closer, molding his body around hers, his skin soft and already warm. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah." She held her breath, waiting for something else, another step toward intimacy, just a little–

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Sleep tight. Don't–" He yawned. "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

"That'd be you, then."

He chuckled. "Suppose. I won't, though."

"I know. Doc–"

A couple of raindrops hit the roof of the tent and two seconds later the sky must've opened up, because a shower hammered against the canvas in an even stream. She listened to it for a moment, relaxing in the Doctor's warm embrace. His chest moved against her back as he breathed, his naked thighs pressed against hers, and his arm rested over her waist, so much skin against skin. She smiled and snuggled her cold feet in between his calves.

"Is this okay? she whispered, but his only reply was a soft snore. She sighed and followed his example, letting the sound of the rain lull her to sleep.


	7. Breaking the Silence

**beta**: resile  
**warning**: contains sex, but it's not very graphic. For those who want the unedited, graphic smut, this story is available on teaspoon, ao3, or my tumblr, under the same username.

* * *

"Get up…"

"No, don't wanna." Rose snuggled into the warm arm under her head. "Comfy."

"Get up on the console."

"Huh?"

Sluggish and barely awake, she tried to make sense of what was happening. The last thing she remembered was spooning with the Doctor, not being on board the TARDIS. She listened after the hum of the time ship, but all she could hear was a soft drizzle against the roof of the tent.

"Always wanted to fuck you against the console," he murmured, grinding against her.

Her eyes flew open and she was wide awake in an instant. Awake and aware of what was going on: the Doctor's hand fumbling with the side-ties of her bikini bottoms and his erection poking her in the bum. Oh.

"Doc-doctor?" she said, just as he managed to untie the knot. The garment fell aside, baring her arse; he pulled back and thrust against her, warm, hard, naked flesh pressing into her. His loincloth must've fallen apart some time during the night. A breath left her with a whoosh at the realisation and she bit her lip, wondering what the hell she should do now.

"Mphm, we're out of milk."

She let out an airy laugh. "Wha'?"

He murmured something indistinguishable and his arm went lax, sliding down to rest across her waist again as his steady breaths hit her neck, body relaxed and soft against her–except his still very hard cock. Oh, fuck.

She should make sure she was decent, but she'd never get ahold of the fabric without touching him in a place she had no business being. What would be more embarrassing: just keep sleeping and wake up practically nude and pretend as though she hadn't noticed, or wake him up now and explain that he just tried to fuck her in his sleep, so he could pull back and let her re-tie her bikini bottoms?

A heavy, frustrated sigh escaped her and she rolled her eyes in exasperation over the ridiculous situation. God, she should just go back to sleep. Hopefully, he'd wake up first, get dressed, and do what they always do whenever something awkward happens between them: pretend it never happened.

She'd just begun to drift off when she sensed a change in him–something in his breathing, how his arm stiffened around her and his body tensed along hers–and she knew he was awake. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew she was as well. He always knew; they'd shared enough cells and rooms for her to know that.

Minutes passed without either of them speaking, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was waiting for her to do something, just as she was waiting for him; however, they had an established dynamic where he was the one initiating anything new between them and if he wanted something to happen between them, he had to be the one making the first move. So she lay still, wishing and hoping, thinking that an uninterested Doctor would've fumbled with his loincloth and–

His fingers brushed over her stomach in a slow circle. Her breath hitched; his hand stilled. She began to breathe again, making each breath as even and relaxed as she could, shifting her arms to free her upper body and give him access to whichever part of her he wanted. A few seconds of agonising waiting passed, but then he began to caress her again. Fingertips featherlight across her abdomen, circling her belly button, running over her ribs, slowly venturing higher and lower. She swallowed, staring into the darkness, marvelling in the incredulity of it all. The Doctor wastouching her, and no matter how alien he was, how oblivious he could seem sometimes, there was no way he was unaware of where this was heading.

His fingers followed the curve of her hip, pausing where her side-tie should've been. Was he just now realising they were lying skin-to-skin? Her brows knitted together. Was he still half-asleep? No, he felt awake: the breathing, the way he touched her. Maybe she should say something either way, maybe she should–

She dismissed that thought when she felt his hand caressing the length of her body, all the way from her thigh up to her side until his fingers grazed the underside of her breast. Her eyes fell shut and she held her breath, waiting, releasing it in a silent sigh when his hand drifted downward and resumed stroking her belly. He reached the dip between her hipbone and the soft skin above her curls. His touches sent bolts of pleasure straight to her center and she shuddered, biting her lip not to moan. She heard him swallow, gulp loud in the quiet tent, and his hand wandered upward. Fuck.

Had he been anyone else, just a normal bloke, she would've reached behind her and taken matters into her own hands, shown him what she wanted. Though, he was the Doctor and this was delicate; the last thing she wanted was to set him running. So, she relaxed into his touch and enjoyed the feeling of his hand on her body, gooseflesh spreading in waves everytime he grazed her sensitive spots: her hipbone, her waist, the cleft between her breasts, pushed together from her position, mounds of soft flesh his hand lingered at every time he mapped out her torso.

She sucked in a breath when his fingers grew bolder and grazed over her nipple on their way up to her clavicle. He followed the line of the bone, dipped into the hollow of her throat, and ghosted over her other breast, the hard peak, and down her stomach. He scratched his nails below her belly button, increasing her budding need for him. She quickly slipped the cups of her bikini top to the sides, wanting him to touch her bare skin, hoping it would spur him into action. As good as his touches felt–touches she never thought she'd experience–stopping herself from flipping around and straddling him was becoming harder by the second.

His hand moved up again, halting as he reached her naked breast, hovering over her so closely she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. She squeezed her eyes shut, pressed her lips together and hoped, face breaking out in a smile when he began to circle her nipple. It pebbled, ached to be played with, and she leaned into his touch. When he finally wrapped his fingers around the puckered flesh, tweaking, pinching, rolling, a tingling sensation shot through her body and converged between her legs, preparing her to take him all in. Oh, she wanted it, craved it, needed this to be faster, rougher, greedier.

She pushed her bum back a bit, rocking against his length and, as though they could read each other's minds, she wiggled up at the same time as he scooted down. She bit back a whimper when he slid forward, encompassed by her thighs, and she shifted her hips to make the angle better for him to enter her.

He stilled; she placed her hand over the one still holding her breast, brushing his skin with her thumb to show him that they were good. He burrowed his face in the nape of her neck and pushed forward; she pressed down, breathing out when she finally felt every inch of him inside her. Rocking against him, she stifled a moan when his hand slid down her torso, skimmed through her curls and settled between her legs. Body still, he took a moment to stroke her; she hooked her leg over his to give him more room, melting against him as he finally began to thrust.

Eyes closed, mouth smiling, she moved with him, senses honed in on how he made her body tremble. Although the angle was far from perfect, she revelled in the intimacy of lying close like this. He ran his lips over her shoulder, sucked and nibbled on the skin at the base of her neck, teeth sometimes sinking into her deep enough for her to wonder if there would be marks.

For a moment, being close to him overpowered her need for release, but his movements stoked the heat coiling inside her, increasing the urgency running through her to reach her peak. Although she knew she'd miss the contact of his chest pressed into her, she propped herself up on her elbow and leaned forward for leverage so she could push back. He picked up the pace; she slid her hand down to where they were joined and covered his, guiding his fingers, showing him what she needed.

She could feel his smooth movements turn frantic and, suspecting he was close, she focussed on the way her center felt as the knot in her stomach tightened. She wanted to fall with him, spasm around him as he emptied himself in her, land together. Helping herself along, she used her free hand to tug at her nipples; the pleasure crescendoed and she toppled over the edge, convulsing as her orgasm surged through her body. She released her breast and once more covered his hand with hers, keeping it still but close to her as she rocked out the last waves of her climax. She was only vaguely aware of him tensing up and coming with a few uneven thrusts, head too foggy from the high he'd given her to notice much else.

Panting, ears ringing, Rose licked her lips and waited for the haze to disperse. The Doctor lay behind her, silent save his laboured breath, hand still between her thighs. Hers, she realised, was wrapped around the edge of the sleeping pad, although she couldn't remember grabbing it. She waited for him to say something, do something, but moments passed and he remained stagnant as their breathing returned to normal.

The rain had stopped, the fire outside was long since dead, and the tent lay shrouded in darkness and heavy silence. Theirs was companionable by nature; this felt forced and stifling, seeping into her and constraining her to keep it. Somehow, the towel had moved to a tangled heap at their feet instead of covering them and, now that the heat of the moment was gone, a chill spread over her damp body. She missed the warmth of his embrace, and cursed herself for being so wrapped up in the chase for release, she'd moved away from him.

She swallowed, eyes flitting around the pitch black as the turmoil of thoughts sent her head spinning. They just fucked–the Doctor fucked her–and now the man with the unstoppable gob had nothing to say. No reassuring words, no confession of feelings, not even bumbling excuses. How long had it been, anyway? Five minutes or thirty, both alternatives seemed just as likely to her. Except he was still inside her, slowly growing soft. Maybe it took longer for him, maybe…

Maybe she should just turn around and kiss him. No words needed. Just a kiss on the mouth and he'd know.

Fear of rejection hit her deep inside; fear that regret was the reason for his silence, that he'd woken up from an erotic dream and taken the warm, wet and willing woman in his arms. She rolled her eyes at her insecurities; that wasn't him. Someone had to do something and it just as well could be her. Kissing was good; she could do kissing.

She put more weight on her arm to push herself up but, before she'd had a chance to move, he slipped out of her and rolled over on his back. His come trickled out of her, leaving her sticky and uncomfortable, as though she weren't uncomfortable enough. Once again she waited for him to speak, but it was in vain. More time passed of this panic-inducing hell of theories clashing in her mind, increasing the difficulty to climb over the threshold and just fucking say something.

Perhaps he felt the same; perhaps he was freaking out over the silence, just as she was. Or… A wave of relief washed through her at the realisation: he wasn't ready. That was it. His touches had been too loving for it to be just a shag. She could deal with that, could be patient for him, let him take the time he needed to come around. No expectations, no demands, no need to freak out and drop her off with her mum. All she needed to do was showing him that she was fine–that they were fine.

"Suppose you gave me the full camping experience, then," she said with a chuckle.

"Yes I did," he said, voice steady and bright.

She sat up and turned to him, wincing as more semen ran out of her. Nibbling on her lip, she waited for him to make his move; she'd broken the silence, all he had to do was continue to fill it.

He didn't.

She nudged his leg with her toe. "You bit me."

He was silent for a heartbeat or two. "I… I'm sorry."

"No," she said with a breathy laugh. "Uhm, you said...bedbugs, and I said that'd be, and you wouldn't, and… Yeah."

"Oh." He chuckled over the sound of hair being ruffled. "Yeah."

She picked at her nails, squirming at the feeling of the mess between her legs, something cold and heavy forming in the pit of her stomach since he still didn't bloody speak. She racked her brain for something else to say, something lighthearted, another joke, knowing she couldn't stand another stretch of disheartening silence, but came up blank. Her heart pounded in her chest and her feet twitched with the need to leave. She could handle this–she could–she just needed a moment to collect herself.

"Does your, uhm," she gestured at her crotch, hoping he could see in the dark, "muck up the ecosystem?"

"What?"

"I need to wash. It's, uhm, it's-it's a lot."

"Yes. It's more than what you're used to, yes."

"Yeah. It's… It feels– So, does it? Muck up the ecosystem. 'Cause you said, and...dunno."

"Oh. Right. No, no it doesn't."

"'Kay… I'll be right back, then." She moved toward the opening and unzipped it.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

He paused; she held her breath.

"Take the towel. It's cold out."

She exhaled, eyes closed. "Right. Cheers." She reached behind her and fumbled after it, pulled it to her body as she felt the soft terry cloth under her fingers. "Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"We're all right, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Yeah. See you later."

* * *

.

* * *

Rose floated on her back, warm water carrying her body as she took in the now clear sky showing off a round silver moon and twinkling stars. The chill of the night bit her nose and cheeks, and the prospect of leaving the lake, walk the distance to the tent and face the Doctor seemed less attractive by the minute. So she stayed.

When her front started feeling too cold for her liking she rolled over and swam a few strokes beneath the surface before rising. Treading water, she turned to face the beach–and found herself right in front of the Doctor. She'd not heard him join her, but there he was, chest-deep in the lake, dark eyes framed by a furrowed brow.

"What are you doing?"

"Treading water."

"I can see that."

"Uhm… Reversed sauna, remember?" She grinned. "S'good. Don't you reckon? Water's lovely."

He studied her for a few seconds. "What's going on?"

"I…" She shook her head and shrugged, words escaping her.

"You've been out here for twelve minutes."

"Oh…"

"Oh? Oh?! What the hell are you playing at? I bring you here to-to– And I've tried, but you've made it perfectly clear that you don't want me. For-for days you've practically shoved it in my face!" He leaned forward, eyes hard and boring into her. "And then you… Then this! Then this happens, and you-you…" His forehead crinkled deeper and his Adam's apple bobbed, nostrils flaring. "And I thought… I thought you did. I thought you wanted– But then… You move away from me and you're-you're quiet, and then you joke and leave and-and– I was worried! But you're just avoiding me. And now you're joking again?" He shook his head and, as he looked at her, his face smoothed out, eyebrows raised and jaw slack. "And now you're laughing?"

"I'm not laughing." She touched her cheeks, fingers running from the apple down to her mouth, following the curve of her smile. Oh.

"What's wrong? This isn't you. You're not cruel, Rose."

Beaming from the joy bubbling in her chest as she finally connected the dots, she moved toward him, but he backed away from her. She shook her head at him, put her hands on his shoulders and jumped up. Wrapping her legs around his waist and arms around his neck, she brushed her lips against his and trailed kisses along his bottom lip. He stood stiff as a rock, lips unmoving.

"Oi. For someone who just professed his undying love for me you don't seem very chuffed about snogging me."

"Ehm…"

She nuzzled his nose. "Doctor, if you think you've been making a move on me every day since we got here, you're either too subtle, yeah, or I'm very, very thick, 'cause I didn't notice."

"You didn't?"

She laughed. "No."

"Oh. So… You, ehm, you didn't-you didn't reject me?"

"No."

He breathed out an 'oh', wrapping his arms around her.

"So…" She leaned back a bit, smiling at his dazed expression. "This wasn't just a, uhm, a camping thing, then?"

"Said the woman who just claimed I professed my undying love for her."

She leaned her forehead against his. "Just answer the question."

"Rose, if this was just a camping thing, I'd have to pitch a tent in the console room, in the galley, in the library, in the garden, in the wardrobe room, in our bedroom, on every planet we'd ever visit, in your mum's– Eugh, no. Everywhere but in your mum's flat. Definitely not in your mum's flat."

She pulled back, hands still linked around his neck. "What did you say?"

"'Rose, if this was just a camp–'"

"No, you said 'our bedroom'."

"Well, yeah." He shrugged. "Why, don't you wanna share?"

"Yes."

"Well, then."

"Yeah."

He beamed, bouncing a bit. "Suppose I did tame The Bad Wolf after all."

"Oh, my god," she said, laughing. "You're such an idiot. But…" She leaned in again, lips nearly touching his. "I love you, anyway."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

She pressed her lips to his and he instantly opened up, tongue moving forward to taste her. She hummed into his mouth as he tightened his arms around her, walking deeper into the warm lake until only their heads were over the surface. She broke free a long moment later, needing air; he kept moving his lips over her skin, following her jawline and the column of her neck. Leaning her head back to give him access, she looked up at the sky and smiled as she realised something.

"Doctor!" She patted him on the shoulder, laughing.

"Hm?"

"Look, we're skinny dipping under a clear starlit sky. Was the only thing left."

"Well, you're still wearing this," he said, tugging at her bikini top.

"Oh." She reached behind her and unclasped it, shrugging it off and tossing it toward the beach. "Takes care of it, then, yeah?"

"Oh, yes," he said, staring at her breasts. "The full camping experience."

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

Thanks for reading and reviewing this story! I hope you enjoyed it.

To the person wondering if I make stuff up myself: yes, yes I do. It makes things a whole lot easier. ;)

* * *

I used Swedish (since I'm Swedish) for a lot of the alien words in this fic.

* **Smultron** - It means _wild strawberry_ and I chose that name because of the Swedish word "smultronställe" (which means a place that's special to you, a place you've discovered that maybe not a lot of people–or any–know of, where you can relax and recharge). The literal translation is _wild strawberry place/spot_. Why I chose this is, I presume, obvious. ;)  
* **Soppabrew** - "soppa" means _soup_.  
* **Frisktree** - "frisk" means _fresh/healthy_.  
* **Hållbarish jar** - "Hållbar" means _preservable/lasting/durable_.  
* **Älskogskanjonen** - It means _Canyon of Love Making_, as he says in the fic and it _is_ cheesy. :D  
* **Fierils** - "Fjäril" means _butterfly_, but I wanted to change the spelling a bit. ;)  
* **Lurvapa** - It's not actually a word, but "lurv" means _fur/fuzz_ and "apa" means _monkey_.  
* **Nattskräck** - _Night terrors_.


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